his treasures can keepe them Concerning the merites of CHRIST they say that there was such precious vertue in his blood that one droppe of it was sufficient to redeeme all the world now say they what shall become of all the rest of his blood which he shâ—…d in great abundance shall all this precious blood be lost and where can it be better kept than in the treasures of CHRISTS Vicar to be dispensated to the vtilitie of sinners when need requireth To this vaine assertion of Papistes I answere that the LORD nâ—…uer dealt sparingly neither with our bodies nor soules The LORD hath prouided greater abundance of aire for the refreshment of our bodies than all the breathing senses of men and beasts is able to draw in The LORD rained downe MANNA from heauen in greater plentie than might haue sufficed the people of the Ieweâ—… in the wildernesse euen so when the LORD is content to shed grâ—…at abundance of his precious blood he hath done it to set foorth the great riches of his mercie toward our soules but not to make a mortall man a dispensator of one drop of his blessed blood The chiefe questions betwixt vs the Romane Church anent Originall sinne are two First whether or no concupiscence which remaineth in the godly after their baptisme be in a proper acception called sinne or not for the Romane Church saith that it is called sinne by the Apostle because it came of sinne and it tendeth to sinne but not because it is sinne is a proper acception And the Council of Trent pronounceth an anathema against them who thinke otherwise than they haue determined The second controuersie is whether or no the naturall concupiscence mouing vs to euill can be called a sinne before wee giue the consent of our mind to it The Romane Church thinketh it no sinne vntill we yeeld the consent of our hearts vnto it The third question anent sinnes coÌ„mitted before after baptisme what way they are remitted because this question pertaineth more properly to another treatise I shal oueâ—…passe it at this time Now anent the first question I affirme that the Apostle Paul when he calleth concupiscence sin hee calleth it sin in a proper acception of the word sin Many names are giuen to sin in Scripture which expresseth what it is properly but especially these 3. names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concupiscence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a transgression of the Law as the Apostle manifestlly witnesseth when he sayeth I had not knowne lust except the Law had saide Thou shalt not lust therefore concupiscence is sinne in a proper acception In like manner concupiscence or originall sinne is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aberration to wit from the Lawe and Commandement of GOD and in exprâ—…sse wordes the Apostle speaking of Originall sinne sayeth Wherefore as by one man sinne entered into the worlde and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned c. In this place concupiscence is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an aberration from the Commandement of GOD and consequently a sinne in a proper acception of the worde sinne Remember also that the Apostle is speaking of all men yea and of himselfe also in the estate whereinto hee was presently when he wrote this epistle that is after he was baptized Then let vs marke the third word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a snappering and a falling to wit from the Lawe and Commandement of GOD and this word also is attributed vnto Originall sinne in these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is through the offence of one man many bee dead so that all these three wordes concurring in one doe declare that concupiscence euen after baptisme in a proper sense is sin because it is a breaking of the Lawe an aberration from the Lawe and a falling from the Lawe Nowe the curses of the Councill of Trent which they cast out so prodigally against vs are not worthie one figge because they are not grounded in reason but are expresly repugnant to the written worde of GOD. The second question is this whether or no is concupiscence a sinne before we yeeld the consent of our heart vnto it To this I answere that if they vnderstood by concupiscence a bad inclination it is sinne euen in infants who doe not knowe what it is to consent either to good or euill but if they meane of the first motion or cogitation of sinne presented vnto the soule apparently this question belongeth rather to actuall than to originall sinne but whether it belongeth to the root of sinne or to the branches of sinne I shall produce three reasons wherfore the first motion of sinne is sinne euen before we yeeld vnto it the consent of our heart First because a consent is an indifferent thing called good or euill according to the nature of that thing whereunto we giue our consent and consequently the consent is euill because that motion of sinne whereunto wee consented was euill and if it had not beene euill in it selfe the consent of our heart giuen vnto it had neuer beene called euill Secondly Fathers from whome Papistes haue learned this Theologie that in them who are regenerated concupiscence is not to bee counted a sinne vntill a man giue the consent of his heart vnto it these same Fathers I say after they had pierced deeper into this question they corrected themselues as clearely appeareth by the wordes of Augustine against Iulâ—…anus a Pelagian saying Desiderium mali malum est etiamsi ci non consentiatur donec co perveniamus ubi nec habeatur that is the desire of euill is euill albeit consent be not giuen vnto it vntill wee attaine vnto that estate whereinto we shall be free of it Thirdly the Apostle IAMES when he damneth actuall sin he agreageth it by three circumstances to wit by the conception of it the birth of it and the punishment of it the conception of it is by concupiscence and this the Apostle setteth downe as the first circumstance of the amplification of sinne and not as a thing indifferent vntill wee giue consent vnto it how beit it is true that actuall sinne is not committed vntill consent be giuen to concupiscence yet in it selfe it is a sinne and the conception and root of sinne as the Apostle speaketh It is no point of wisdome to extenuate or to obscure and hide our sinnes for GOD can set them all in order before our face as the psalmist speaketh and if this bee all the gaine and aduantage wee haue by denying and obscuring a part of our sinnes it were better to lay all open before the great Phisitian of our soules to the end that in due time we may be cured by his medicinall plasters Augustine maketh rehearsall of three medicinall cures against concupiscence in these wordes In corpore mortis
me Luc 1 ver 43. So might old customes speake to olde commandements Whéce coÌ„meth this to me that coÌ„mandement my mistresse Lady wil tolerat me to be within the doores of the house of God wherein she hath such soueraignitie and swey In the fourth heade we are to intreate by what meanes ancient errours may be distinguished from ancient veritie And first veritie is not in all pointes like vnto an olde man whose strength is dayly abated by debilitie and weaknesse till at length the old man die goe to the graue yea rather veritie the older it be the vertue strength and vigour of it is the better knowne but errours when they waxe old they become weake they die and euanish and are vile as a filthy and stinking carion so as if any man in our dayes should open the graue of ARRIVS and renue his vngodly opinion he should see all Christians shake their heades stop their eares and grip after a maner their noses with their handes that the abominable flewer of that filthie carion should not be felt but by the contrarie the sweete smell of the ancient Veritie of Christ is like a precious oyntment powred out filling the house of God with no lesse delite now then it did of old when it was first preached by the Apostles in Ierusale Acts 2. And as the house of DAVID dayly waxed stronger the house of ISHBOSHETH dayly waxed weaker 2. Sam. 3. 1. such like is the estate of the Veritie and the lie Secondly veritie and errour are best distinguished when they are riped vp into the very ground and frivolous superficiall trialls are laide aside As NEHEMIA did when hee tried after the captiuitie who had a right of Priesthood to stand at the altar to offer sacrifices he commanded them to produce their writes and genealogies and make good their lineal descent from the loynes of AARON which right â—…ey who could not find out were put from the Priesthood Nehem. 7. ver 64 Euen so they who pretend veritie of ancient doctrine let them verifie clearely by the written word that this their doctrine came from the mouth of Christ his holy Apostles For as the procreation of AARON gaue a right to stand at the altar so also the doctrine that came froÌ„ the mouth of Christ and his Apostles hath an vndoubted right to be sounded in the Church of God Remember now that wise NEHEMIAH was not superficiall in his triall The sons of HABAIAH the sons of HAKKOZ the sons of BARZILLAI could haue shewed in write that they were come of the descent of LEVI and of the familie of COAH but that which was of greatest moment of all that they were descended from that branche of the familie of COAH which was separated to the scruice of the altar to wit from AARON Numb 16. ver 40. that they could not proue So the Papistes of our time can prooue that their doctrine hath had place sixe seuen or eight hundreth yeeres and more also before our dayes but that which is of greatest weight to wit that their doctrine came from the mouth of Christ and his holy Apostles in that probation they succumbe Thirdly let vs trie and discerne the lie from the veritie as AVGVSTVS CAESAR discerned him who falsly called himselfe ALEXANDER the sonne of HEROD and the sonne in law of ARCHELAVS King of Cappadocia and husband of GLAPHYRA Ioseph antiq lib. 17. cap 14. This ALEXANDER son of HEROD the great with his brother ARISTOBVLVS were both executed to the death by the commandement of their father But after the death of ALEXANDER an artificer bearing that same name and in stature beauty lineaments and all agreeing proportion so neerely resembled the very similitude of ALEXANDER the sonne of HEROD that they who best knew HERODS son did most confidently affirme that this same artificer was he indeede and he himselfe affirmed that he was HERODS sonne and had escaped death by the fauour of the executioner Alwayes when he was brought to Rome to the Emperour AVGVSTVS would not be deceiued with the liklyhood of his face but groped his hand and found it to be hard like to the hand of an artificer and discerned him to be a deceiuing fellow and punished him This I grant may be applyed more properly to Christ then to vs. For albeit we be easily deceiued seduced with lies yet the great King of heauen Christ Iesus cannot be deceiued hee will not regard the brasen face of the lie calling it selfe trueth but he will wisely grope the hand of the lie examine what operations it hath wrought among the people it hath blinded mens vnderstanding it hath har dened their heartes it hath learned them to be proud obstinat contemners of the trueth of God finally it hath learned theÌ„ to honour creatures with impairing of the glory of the Creator Then wil the great King say O full of al deceit thy hand and thy operations that thou hast wrought amongst men testifieth that thou art not of God Neuerthelesse the members of Christ also in some meane measure may be groping the hand of the lie finding it to be hard dric voyde of all sap moysture of spirituall grace we may say in our harts O doctrine of lies barren withered within thy selfe and communicating no grace vnto thy hearers the Lord separat vs from thee thee from vs that we may adhere firmly vnto our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus vnto the end Finally when wee haue done all that we can doe to discerne the lie from the veritie yet let vs not liue in securitie as though wee could neuer be deceiued IOSVA that holy man of God was deceiued with old garments old bottels of wine old bread and shoes because he consulted not with the mouth of God Ios. 9. ver 14. Then aboue all things we should seeke counsell at the mouth of God by earnest prayer diligent reading of the written word attentiue hearing of godly sermons and if we seeke we shall finde and if wee knocke it shall be opened vnto vs. And the Lorde direct vs both in seeking and finding with the gratious conduct of his holy Spirit Heere I purposed to haue finished my treatise of antiquitie but when I remember with whome I haue to doe and that they will say I haue purposely passed by the principall demonstration of antiquitie in the Romaine Church therefore I haue subjoyned the foure forged fained and counterfaite maskes of antiquitie in Poperie which will neuer proue them to be an ancient church The false interpretation of Scriptures the booke of the Canons of the Apostles the decretall epistles falsly ascribed to the fathers of the first three hundreth yeeres of our Lord and the booke of DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA Anent the false interpretation of Scriptures Godwilling I shall speake in the treatise of heresie Anent the booke of the Canons of the Apostles if there were no more but onely the last
EVSEBIVS reckoneth onely 12. yeeres lib. 6. cap. 12. He stirred vp the fift persecution against the Christians The crimes objected against the Christians beside those that were objected in the former persecution were these Rebellion against the Emperour sacriledge murthering of infants worshipping of the sunne and worshipping the heade of an Asse which last calumnie was forged against them by the malice of the Jewes This persecution raged most seuerely in the townes of Alexandria and Carthage like as the former persecution had done in Lions and Vienne in France Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 1. LEONIDES the father of ORIGEN was beheaded his sonne being but yong in yeeres exhorted his father to perseuere in the faith of Christ constantly vnto the death POTAMIEA a yong beautiful virgin in Alexandria was by the judge condemned to death and deliuered to a Captaine called BASILIDES who stayed the insolencie of the people that followed her to the place of execution with outrage of slanderous and rayling worde crying out against her for this cause shee prayed to God for the conuersion of BASILIDES to the true faith and was heard of God in so much that he was not onely conuerted to the faith of Christ but also sealed it vp with his blood and had the honour of martyrdome Euseb. lib. 6. cap 5. ALEXANDER who was fellow-labourer with NARCISSVS in Ierusalem escaped many dangers yet was he martyred in the dayes of DECIVS the 7. great persecuter Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 39. Of this Emperour the Senat of Rome said Aut non nasci aut non mori debuisse that is Either hee should neuer haue beene borne or els should neuer haue tasted of death So it pleased the Lorde by his wise dispensation to suffer the dayes of TRAIAN ANTONINVS Philosophus SEVERVS Emperours renoumed in the world to be more cruell against his owne people then the dayes of NERO DOMITIAN CALIGVLA or COMMODVS to the ende the poore Church might learne to be content to be spoyled of all outward comfort and to leane vpon the staffe of the consolations of God alanerly Many that were brought vp in the schooles of ORIGEN suffered martyrdome such as PLVTARCHVS SERENVS HERACLIDES HERON and another hauing the name of SERENVS also Euseb. lib 6. cap. 4. Among women RHAIS was burned with fire for Christs sake before she was baptized with water in Christs Name Euseb. ibid. Innumerable moe martyrs were slaine for the faith of Christ whose names in particular no ecclesiasticall writer euer was able to comprehend therfore it shall suffice to heare the names of a few The rest whose names are not expressed enjoy the crownes of incorruptible glory as wel as those doe whose names are in all mens mouths It is the comfort of our hearts to remember that the Apostles and Euangelists sealed vp with their blood the doctrine which they taught and committed to writ and no other doctrine and the holy martyres immediatly after the Apostles dayes sealed vp with the glorious testimonie of their blood that same faith which we now professe which they receiued froÌ„ the hands of the Apostles but they were not so prodigall of their liues to giue their blood for the doctrine of worshipping of images inuocation of Saints plurality of mediators of intercession the sacrifice of the Masse both propitiatory and vnbloody expresly against the wordes of the Apostle Heb. 9. ver 22. and such other heades of doctrine vnknown to antiquitie The Romaine Church in our daies is a persecuting and not a persecuted Church more fruitfull in murthers then martyrdomes glorying of antiquitie and follow ing the forgerie of new inuented religion This Emperour SEVERVS was slaine at Yoâ—…ke by the Northerne men Scots Bassianus Geta. SEVERVS who was slaine at Yorke left behind him two sonnes BASSIANVS and GETA BASSIANVS slewe his brother reigned himselfe alone 6. yeres so that the whole time of his gouernment both with his brother and alone was 7. yeeres 6. months Euseb. lib 6. cap 21. He put to death also PAPINIANVS a worthie lawyer because he would not pleade his cause anent the slaughter of his brother before the people but saide that sinne might be more easily committed then it could be defended Bucolc Hee tooke to wife his own mother in law IVLIA a woman more beautifull then chaste In all his time as he confessed with his owne mouth hee neuer learned to doe good and was slaine by MACRINVS Macrinus with his son Diadumenus MACRINVS and his sonne reigned one yeere alanerly Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 21. Antoninus Heliogabalus ANTONINVS HELIOGABALVS reigned after MACRINVS 4. yeeres Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 21. He was a prodigious belly-god a libidinous beast an enemie to all honestie and good order Func Chron. So many villanous things are written of him that scarcely if the Reader can giue credite to the historie that euer such a monster was fashioned in the belly of a woman At his remouing in his progresse oftimes followed him 600. chariots laden onely with baudes and common harlots His gluttonie filthinesse excessiue riotousnes are in al mens mouthes Hee was slaine of the souldiers drawen through the citie and cast into Tiber. Alexander Seuerus ALEXANDER SEVERVS the adopted sonne of HELIOGABALVS reigned 13. yeeres Euseb lib. 6. cap. 28. Chron. Func He delited to haue about him wise and learned counsellers such as FABIVS SABINVS DOMITIVS VLPIANVS c. This renowmed Lawyer VLPIANVS was not a friend to Christians but by collecting together a number of lawes made against Christians in times bypast he animated the harts of judges against them And this is a piece of the rebuke of Christ that Christians haue borne continually to be hated of the wise men of the world hist. Magdeburg Cent. 3. Hereof it came to passe that in this Emperours time albeit hee was not so bloodie as many others had bene before him and therefore his Empire was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is vnbloodie yet not a few suffered martyredome euen in the dayes of ALEXANDER such as AGAPETVS a young man of 15. yeere old at Praeneste a towne of Italie Hee was assaied with many torments and finally with the sword he was beheaded The judge who gaue out a sentence of death against him fell out of his judiciall seat and suddenly died The martyredome of CECILIA if by her trauailes VALERIAN her espoused husband and TIBVRTIVS his brother 400. moe had bene conuerted to Christ secretly baptized by VRBANVS B. of Rome immediatly before her death I maruel that no mention should be made by EVSEBIVS of such a rare miraculous worke Senatours and noble men at Rome such as PAMMACHIVS SIMPLICIVS and QVIRITIVS with their wiues and children died for the faith of Christ with many others Hist. Mag. Cent. 3. The fauour that this Emperour shewed to Christians against whom the very sloobering cookes did contend challenging vnto themselues the right of a place whereinto Christians were accustomed to
out let complaint be made to the bishop to the Metropolitane or to the king of the countrey Founders of Churches during their life-time haue power to appoint men who shall attend vpon the fabricke of the Church or Monasterie which is builded that it decay not If any Church-man bestowe any part of Church-rent vnder the colour of prestation let the cause bee clearely contained in an euidence or else it shall be voyde Let the goods of the defunct administrator of the Church affaires be equally diuided betwixt his heires and the Church If a bishop build a Monasterie let him not bestow abcue the fiftie part of the rent of his prelacie in the charges of building and incase he build a paroche Church for honour of his buriall place let him not bestowe aboue the hundreth part of his rent for charges of building To the bishop belongeth the third part of rent of euery paroch Church in his diosie and whether he leaue that thirde part to the Church it selfe out of which it is vp-lifted or to anie other Church his gift shall stand firme without reuocation Let no man vnder pretence of propinquitie and because hee is heire intromet with the goods of the defunct bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Metropolitane and incase the Metropolitane depart this life let no intromission with his goods bee made without the fore-knowledge of his successor lest by fraude and deceit the Church be damnified If any man ministring in a Church-office alienate a part of Church rentes the supputation of time shall begin to bee reckoned from the houre of his death not from the time wherein the charter was subscribed and so after his death let the prescription run on The ninth Canon measureth the commoditie which a bishop shall receiue who hath taken paines to burie another bishop Children procreated by bishops presbyters deacons c. shall not only be depriued of the heritage sometime belonging to their parents but also they shall be mancipated to perpetuall seruice of those Churches whereinto their fathers serued Let the Reader marke that there is greater businesse in Councels to procure obedience to one antichristian precept cōcerning prohibition of marriage than to all the ten Commandementes of Gods holy law Let not a seruant be accepted to serue in the Ministerie of the Church before he be first set at libertie When seruants are set at libertie let the supputation of time beginne at the death of him who set them at libertie and not at the time when the charter was made Seruants set at libertie shall neither marrie a woman of the Romane nor of the Gothes blood and they shall be subject to the Church that set them at libertie and if necessitie compell them to sell landes let the land bee first offered for a competent price to one who ministreth in that Church from which their libertie did arise I◅wes who are baptized shall in time of solemne feastes attende vpon the bishop of the parts where their dwelling is to the ende that he may beare testimonie of the integritie of their faith If this commandement be transgressed the bishop shall ordaine the Iewe either to bee scourged or to be subject to such ◅bstinence as he thinketh most fit In ende thankes beeing rendered to God for their meeting and for the vnitie of their judgementes and supplications beeing made to God for the weale of the King Recesuvindus in soule and bodie the Councell was dissolued IN the eight yeere of the reigne of Recesuvindus king of Gothes assembled in Toledo 21. bishops They decerned concerning the Feastes of the Natiuitie of our Lord and of the Lordes mother at what times they should bee kept Punishmentes are appointed for men of the Clergie and Monkes who are not found loyall and duetifull to the King and the countrey That men vnmeete for spirituall offices should not bee intruded into the Church neither for propinquitie of blood nor for hope of lucre and gaine That widowes professing a religious order shall receiue an habite conuenient for that order And that women who depart again from their professed order shall be punished That parents shall not render their children to religious orders before they bee eighteene yeeres of age Finally Protamius bisshop of Bracara beeing conuict of adulterie was remoued from his office and Fructuosus was placed in his rowme IN the 7. yeere of the reigne of Bamba King of Gothes 19. bishops and 7. Abbots were assembled in Toledo by the Kinges commandement Quiricus bishop of Toledo beeing President In the beginning after a protestation of a decent order to be kept in their Assembly that no tumult nor contentious disputation nor indecent laughter should disturbe the comely modestie of their assembly They set downe a prolixe conf◅ssion of Faith and Canons belonging to Ecclesiasticall discipline in the forme following 1. That bishops should be well acquainted with Scriptures and apt to teach 2. That Metropolitane bishops should ◅rie how the Pastors of their diosie increase in knowledge 3. That the forme of singing vsed in the Metropolitane Church shall be like wise vsed in other inferiour Churches 4. That persons who haue discorded shall not stand at the Altar vntill the time they bee reconciled againe 5. That Church-men shall not judge in actions of blood 6. That bishops shoulde not giue sentence before a sufficient triall of the cause 7. Bishops who commit adulterie or murther shall be deposed and excommunicated beside the punishment to bee inflicted by the secular Iudge 8. No rewarde shall bee taken for ministration of the Sacramentes 9. Bishops before their ordination shall giue their oath that they haue not acquired that dignitie by rewards either giuen or to be giuen 10. He who is to be preferred to any Ecclesiasticall office let him first sweare that he shall continue constantly in the true Catholicke faith and that he shall be obedient to Eccl siasticall Canons 11. Let no man refuse to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper when it is offered by him who hath a l◅wfull calling to ministrate it 12. Absolution should bee pronounced when perill of death impendeth albeit complete satisfaction be not made 13. The holy Sacrifice shall not bee ministred by persons possessed with deuils or transported with passions of madnesse 14. He who ministreth at the Altar shall haue others concurring with him to the end that if he be suddenly oppressed with any infirmitie the other as◅stant brother maye supply his place 15. Councels are ordained yeerely to be kept IF order of time be not precisely kept in commemoration of the Councels of Bracara and Toledo let no man ma◅uell some regard must be had to the memorie of the Reader and it is not meete that the Councels of Toledo being many in number and so frequently conueened one following vpon the necke of another except the 11. Councell conu◅ened 12. yeeres after the 10. should
his Godheade was approoued by the Senate of Rome Euseb. eccles hist lib 2. cap. 2. The words of the Apostle PAVL had performance in the Romaine Senat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darkenesse when they professed themselues to bee wise they became fooles Rom. 1. ver 21. 22. The verie smoke that riseth from the fornace seemeth to be somewhat at the first but when it mounteth vp into the aire the hier it ascendeth the more it scattereth the sudden disparition of it declareth it is but a vaine thing Such was the wisedome of the Romaine Senate when they mounted vp so hie as to judge of diuine things far surpassing the reach of the naturall vnderstanding of man they proued starke fooles and people destitut of true vnderstanding and PILAT himselfe ouerladen with many heauie calamities in the dayes of CAIVS put handes into himselfe and so ended his wretched life Euseb. lib 2. cap. 7. Caius Caligula CAIVS CALIGVLA successour to TIBERIVS reigned three yeeres and nine months Euseb. lib 2. cap. 8. He was a proud tyrant enemie to all righteousnesse the verie childe of the deuill I insist only vpon Church matters Hee was an hatefull enemie to the Iewes dwelling at Ierusalem and at Alexandria For one and the selfe-same cause were they both despised and hated of CAIVS because they would not giue vnto him diuine honours by building Temples and altars and offering sacrifice to new IVPITER CAIVS and swearing by his name First concerning Ierusalem he had sent PETRONIVS to be Deputie in Judea with commandement to dedicat the Temple of Jerusalem to IVPITER CAIVS and to set vp his image in the Temple Euseb eccles hist. lib. 2. cap. 6. Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap. 11. The Iewes were more willing to die then to see the Temple of their God polluted PETRONIVS aduertised the Emperour of the grevance of the Iewes but before his letters came into the hands of CAIVS somewhat interueened that both disappointed the purpose of CAIVS and also incensed his heart with furie and rage against his Deputie PETRONIVS At that time HEROD AGRIPPA was at Rome whome afterward the Angell of God smote at Casarea so that he was consumed with wormes Acts 12. he was exceedingly beloued of CAIVS because in the daies of TIBERIVS he had bene cast in prison and bound with bands for the loue he caried to CAIVS in so farre that CAIVS inuited AGRIPPA vpon a certaine time to a banquet and bade him aske what he pleased and it should be granted AGRIPPAES petition was this that CAIVS would suffer the nation of the Iewes to liue according to their own law CAIVS was moued somewhat with this vnexspected petition yet partly for his excessiue loue toward AGRIPPA also lest he should seeme to them which sate at table to be a promise-breaker the petition is granted But the venome of his indignation against the Iewes he poured out against PETRONIVS because that by lingring in executing his commandement occasion was offered to AGRIPPA to present this foresaide petition The letter of CAIVS sent to his Deputie was cruel and bloodie the like whereof was seldome heard because hee fulfilled not the Emperours desire hee is commaunded to giue out a sentence of death against his owne life and to be both judge burrio to himselfe Ioseph antiq lib. 18 cap. 11 Such mercie was in this new IVPITER CAIVS Before I writ anything of his crueltie against the Iewes that dwelt in Alexandria it is a meete place to admonish the reader of the hypocrisie counterfaitholines of HEROD AGRIPPA who seemed both in the dayes of CAIVS and also in the dayes of the Emperour CLAVDIVS to be a paterne of godlinesse preferring at the banquet of CAIVS the libertie of the people of God the inviolable obseruation of the law of God to all the riches that the liberalitie of an affectioned Emperour could be able to afford In CLAVDIVS dayes he sailed from Italie to Judea he acknowledged God to be the author of his deliuerance from prison bands offered a chaine of gold to be hung vp in the Tēple of Ierusalē in testimonie that he receiued that benefit with a thankfull minde out of Lords hands Ioseph antiq lib 19. cap. 5. In outward things he was a builder of the wals of Ierusalem vntill the emulous enuy of MARSVS or enuyous emulation the hinderer of all good workes compelled him to desist to leaue the worke imperfited Ioseph antiq lib. 19. cap 7. For all this outward shew of holines the lessons of CAIVS whom he loued beyond all things neuer left him till his last breath CAIVS desired to be counted a god so did AGRIPPA in Caesarea delite when his oration was called the voyce of God not of man Acts 12. CAIVS persecuted the Iewes without a cause so did HEROD AGRIPPA the Christians Acts 12. CAIVS the higher hee aduanced himselfe the greater was his fall the like also happened to AGRIPPA So pernicious a thing is vngodly companie burning their associats with their fire or els blecking them with their smoke and hurtfull euery maner of way In the towne of Alexandria the Grecians contended against the Iewes both parties sent ambassadours to Rome the Grecians sent APPION the Iewes sent PHILO a very prudent and learned man APPiON with flattering words insinuated himselfe in the fauour of the Emperour CAIVS and accused the Iewes that they neither builded temples nor offered sacrifices to the honour of CAIVS as the Grecians did PHILO was readie to answere but CAIVS ruled with affection rather then with reason caused PHILO to be thrust out of his palace and would not hearken vnto him Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap. 10. Euseb. lib. 2. ecles hist. cap 5. In these two mirrours we may see the cruell disposition of this Emperour whose dependers were persecuters of Christians like as hee himselfe was a persecuter of the Iewes If any good turne fell into his hand it was rather by accident then of purpose to glorifie God or to punish sinne hee banished HEROD ANTIPAS who beheaded IOHN the Baptist and his wife HERODIAS that incestuous harlot who ended their lifes in penuritie and miserie in Lyons of France Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 2. cap 4. But all this was done for fauour of AGRIPPA Ioseph antiq lib. 18. cap 9. but not for detestation of murther and incest In ende CAIVS was slaine by his owne seruants CHEREAS and LVPVS whom the Emperour CLAVDIVS afterward punished vnto the death Ioseph antiq lib. 19 cap. 3. This new IVPITER I count him to haue bene in worse case then old IVPITER the sonne of SATVRN albeit both of them died yet the one after his death was counted a god but the other after his death was counted a deuill Claudius CLAVDIVS reigned thirteene yeeres eight months Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 19. Hee ratified the gift of the kingdome
historie of the Romaine Emperours and I haste to that which is the principall purpose of this compend howe wicked NERO kindled the first great Fornace of horrible persecution against the Christians It cannot be denyed but in the dayes of TIBERIVS our Lord Christ Iesus was crucified in the dayes of CALIGVLA and CLAVDIVS the hands of that cruell persecuter HEROD was mightily strengthened by the fauour countenance and bountifulnesse of both these Emperours so that hee layed handes vpon the pillars of the house of God and so I deny not but the Church of God before the dayes of NERO was in the fornace of trouble but nowe come the dayes whereinto the Romain Emperours like vnto NEBVCHADNEZAR werefull of rage and the forme of their visage was changed against the Christians and they commanded that the fornace should be hoate seuen times more then it was wont to be hoate Daniel chap. 3. ver 19. This historie hencefoorth conteineth on the one parte the great wrestling of persecuting Emperours against God not like to the wrestling of IACOB with God Genes 32. The place of IACOBS wrestling was Peniel where he sawe God the forme of wrestling was with many teares and strong supplications Hos. 12. the ende was that the Angel should not hastely depart from him leauing him comfortlesse the successe was the obtaining of a blessing which was the armour of God to saue him against the hatefull malice of ESAV but by the contrare NERO DOMITIAN TIAIAN ANTONIVS and the rest set their faces against the heauen commanded the holy One of Israel to departe out of the worlde endeuoured to quench the sauing light of his Gospell and by so doing brought downe vpon themselues in stead of a blessing that wrath that is reueiled from heauen vpon all them who detaine the trueth of God into vnrighteousnes Rom. 1. ver 18. On the other part is set downe the constant faith and patient suffering of the Saintes who hated not the burning bush because it was set on fire but they loued it because in it they were refreshed with the comfortable presence of the great Angell of God Exod. 3. who would not for gaining of their life 's once fashion themselues according to the similitude of Idolaters in outward and externall things TERTVLLIAN in his booke de corona militis declareth that true Christian souldiers abhorred from setting a garland of flowres vpon their heades when they receiued wages for their painfull seruice in warfare because it was the habite of Idolaters who sacrificed to IVPITER O happie men of God whose vertues the dead coloures of Painters cannot represent and the feastered maners of this corrupt age cannot imitat Oh when shall our shadowes departe when shall the fresh oyle of the grace of God bee powred into our lampes that the light of our faith patience and constant perseuerance may shine clearely to the world as theirs did The occasion of this first great persecution of NERO was his owne barbarous and cruell fact he caused the towne of Rome to bee set on fire which wasted the buildings of the towne for the space of sixe daies Bucol Index chron Funct chron Chytr chron to eschew the vile infamy of this barbarous fact he layde the blame vpon the Christians gaue foorth edicts and commandements to persecute them to the death NERO was so hatefull an aduersarie to all righteousnes that EVSEBIVS following the example and words of TERTVLLIAN affirmeth that if the Gospel had not bene an excellent good thing it had not beene condemned by NERO Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 2. cap. 25. It is supponed that PETER was crucified and PAVL was beheaded at Rome in time of this persecution And EVSEBIVS is in that opinion lib. 2. cap. 25 If this betrue the very deade bones of PETER PAVL are witnesses against the Romaine Church if they continue not in that same faith that PETER PAVL sealed vp with their blood The estate of the Iewes vnder NERO was very hard in respect of the oft change of the Romaine Deputies For in NEROES time continued FELIX for a space whome the Emperour CLAVDIVS had sent to Iudea after him FESTVS ALBINVS and FLORVS This last Deputie was fashioned according to the similitude of the maners of NERO his master the Prouerb holdeth true in NERO FLORVS Such man such master In the time that FELIX was Deputie a certaine Egyptian man pretending to bee a Prophet promising great things perswaded foure thousand of the Iewes to follow after him Acts 25. but FELIX sent foorth companies of horsemen and footmen who slew foure hundreth of the people that followed the Egyptian and tooke two hundreth of them aliue the rest were scattered but the seducing Prophet escaped and could not bee found Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 6. When FESTVS was Deputie King AGRIPPA hearde the Apologie of PAVL and said that in a part PAVL perswaded him to be a Christian Acts 25. This AGRIPPA I say the sonne of HEROD whome the Angell of God slewe Acts 12. was aduanced to great honoures by the Emperour CLAVDIVS as his father had beene before him by the fauour of CAIVS and he possessed not only his fathers dominions but also the Tetrarchie of Iturea and Trachonitis sometime belonging to PHILIP the sonne of HEROD the great His might and riches procured trouble to the nation of the Iewes Hee had a palace situat vpon the West-side of the Temple of Ierusalem in regard it was builded vpon a mountaine he had a delectable profpect of the towne of Jerusalem yet not content with this he mounted vp the walles of the Palace by a new building so high that they who were in the palace might haue seene the altar and sacrifices of the Iewes offered in the inner court which at that time was called Atrium Iudeorum This doing grieued the harts of the Iewes They on the other part to cut off the sight of those who dwelt in the palace from beholding their sacrifices raysed vp the wall of the inner court on the West-side to such eminencie that no man could behold the sacrifices of the Iewes from the palace King AGRIPPA and FESTVS with authoritie cōmanded the Iewes to demolish their new builded wall In end this matter was referred to the Emperour NERO who being solisted by his wife POPPEA gratified the Iewes in this point compelled them not to cast downe their wall Ioseph antiq lib. 20. cap. 7. FESTVS died in Iudea and ALBINVS was sent to bee Deputie in Iudea ANANVS was the high Priest of the Iewes in these dayes and finding opportunitie of time to practise the malice of his heart against IAMES the sonne of ALPHEVS surnamed IVSTVS an holy Apostle kinseman of our Lord Iesus When ALBINVS was vpon his journey had not as yet arriued neither to the coastes of Egypt nor of Iudea this ANANVS I say caused IAMES surnamed IVSTVS the brother of our Lord to be stoned
vnto him In Scripture we reade of many great vials of the wrath of God powred downe vpon vnrighteous men but these are greatest that resemble by most viue representation the great condemnation of the wicked at the last daye such as the flood of NOE the ouerthrow of Sodom and destruction of Ierusalem The flood of NOE was vniuersall and sudden so shall be the condemnation of vngodly men at the last day Mat. 24 37. 38. 39. The ouerthrow of Sodome and Gomorrha was a destruction vnsupportable and the more meete to be an example of the vengeance of eternall fire epist. Iud. ver 7. The destruction of Ierusalē the forerunning tokens therof are so mixed with the tokens preceeding the condemnation of the great day that it may be clearly perceiued that God hath appointed the one to be a type and figure of the other Mat 24. So ost as wee call to remembrance the flood of NOE the ouerthrowe of Sodom and the destruction of Ierusalem let vs feare and stand in awe to fall into the condemnation of vngodly men because all the terrors of these judgements concurre and are massed together in the judgemēt of the last day What are the deep Weeles of water what are the shoures of fire and brimstone what is famine pest and sworde both intestine and forraine in comparison of that worme that neuer dieth and that fire that shall neuer be quenched the blacknesle of darknesse with weeping and gnashing of teeth c. It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God Concerning the number ofthem that were slaine in Galile Trachonitis Samaria Iudea chiefly in the Metropolitane towne Ierusalem ouer and beside those that were sold to be siaues and those that were deuoured by wild beastes in the triumph of FLA. and TITVS at Rome reade Ioseph d◅ bello Iud. lib. 6 cap. 45. Titus AFter FLAVIVS reigned TITVS VESPASIAN his sonne two yeeres two months twentie dayes Bucolc index Chron. The nation of the Iewes being nowe subdued there was great peace in all parts of the Romaine dominions both by sea and land and the temple of IANUS in Rome was closed and locked vp againe Bucolc Domitian FLAVIVS DOMITI AN was associat to his brother TITVS in gouernement during his lifetime and after his death was his successor hee reigned 15. yeeres Chytr chron He was proud like NERO persecuted innocēt Christians as he did so prone bent is our corrupt nature to sin to follow euill examples Now againe the Church of Christ militant vpon the earth must learne obedicnce by suffering must giue a proofe before the world that the Couenant of God is written in the tables of her heart and so deepely ingraued by the finger of God that no tribulation anguish persecution famine nakednesse nor death it selfe can separate her from the loue of Christ. The members of the Church were the good marchants of whom Christ speaketh Mat. 13. who hauing found a pearle of vnspeakable value were content to sell all that they had for loue of gaining it they had tasted of the Well of water springing vp into eternall life and thirsted not againe for the water that cannot satisfie the heart of man with full cōtentment Ioh. 4. 14. In this second great persecution the belooued disciple of Christ the Apostle IOHN was banished to the Isle of Patmos for the worde of God Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 3. cap. 18. FLAVIA DOMICILLA a woman of noble birth in Rome was banished to Pontia an Isle lying ouer against Caieta in Italie Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 3. cap. 19. PROT A'SIVS and GERV ASIVS were martyred at Millain Chytr Chron. concerning the miracle wrought at their sepulchres God-willing wee shall speake in the thirde Centurie and in the treatise of reliques CHYTRAEVS writeth that the Euangelist TIMOTHIE was stoned to death at Ephesus by the worshippers of DIANA and that DIONYSIVS AREOPAGITA was slaine by the sword at Pareis DOMITIAN had heard some rumours of the Kingdome of Christ and was afraid as HEROD the great had beene after the Natiuitie of our Lord but when two of Christs kinsemen according to the flesh the Nephewes of the Apostle IYDE were presented before him and hee perceiued them to bee poore men who gained their liuing by handie labour and when hee had heard of them that Christes Kingdome was not of this world but it was spirituall and that he would come at the latter day to judge the quicke and the dead hee despised them as simple and contemptible persones and did them no harme Euseb. eccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 20. In ende as the life of DOMITIAN was like vnto the life of NERO so was he not vnlike vnto him in his death for his owne wife and friends conspired against him and slew him his body was caried to the graue by porters and buried without honour The Senat of Rome also decreed that his name should be rased and all his actes should bee rescinded Sueton. in Domit. Ierom. catal script eccles Nerva COCCIVS NERVA after DOMITIAN reigned 1. yeere 4. months Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 21. Bucolc And hitherto all the Emperours that ruled were borne in Italie from this foorth strangers doe rule for TRAIAN the adoptiue sonne of NERVA his successor was borne in Spaine NERVA redressed many things that were done amisse by DOMITIAN and in his time the Apostle IOHN was relieued from banishment and returned againe to Ephesus where hee died Euseb. cccles hist. lib. 3. cap. 21. CENT I. Chap. 2. AFter the Lordes resurrection his twelue Apostles were indued with grace from aboue and sent foorth to conqu◅sse all people to the obedience of Christ whose trauailes the Lord so wonderfully blessed that within a short time many thousands of all nations languages whom God had appointed to eternal life were conuerted to the faith of Christ. This conquest that Christ made by the ministerie of 12. poore and contemptible men is more worthy to be called a conquest then all the valiant exploites of CYRVS ALEXANDER CAESAR and other conquerours For he made this conquest by a small handfull of poore and infirme disciples also he conquessed not only the bodies of men but also their hearts to his obedience finally hee made this conquest not by shedding of peoples blood but by preaching of his owne death and blood shed for the redemption of many Neither conquessed hee free men to make them slaues as other conquerours had done but they who were slaues indeede to Satan vnto thē he gaue the libertie of the sons of God Now these 12. Apostles the more faithfully they laboured in the worke of their ministery the worse were they intreated by the vnthankfull world according as Christ had forctold Iohn 16. The most part of them were put to death the rest were not free of many painfull sufferings rebukes which they willinglysustained for the Name of Christ. PETER PAVL are supponed to haue beene
the name of Christians is strengthened by the Emperours commandement The trumpets of the Monarches of the world sound the alarme against him who made them Kings and rulers on the earth The poore innocent Lambes of the sheepfold of Christ appointed for the shambles strengthened their heartes in God in the power of his might and chused rather to suffer aduersitie with their brethren then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. ver 25. they were content to bee racked and would not be deliuered that they might be partakers of a better resurrection Heb. 11. ver 35. whose bodies lacerat with stripes vntill their very inward bowels were patent to the outward sight witnessed the vnrent firmnesse and stabilitie of their faith They were so supported with the power of that grace that commeth from aboue that they were not terrified with the multiplied numbers of cruell torments newly excogitate for dashing that inuincible courage of faith which was seene in Christians Yea further then this When the persecuting enemies were compelled to change the high tuned accent of their menassing speeches and to craue but a litle conformitie to the Emperours desire in swearing by his fortune the holy men of God would not once seem to fall away from their profession by answering with timorous and doubtsome wordes but glorified God with a cleare and constant confession of their Christian faith POLYCARPVS B. of Smyrna and IVSTINVS MARTYR a man of singular erudition were both martyred in the feruent heate of this persecution But aboue all other places the consuming flame of the fornace brast out most vehemently in France that happie nation whereinto both of old and late time so many were found worthie to giue their blood for the Name of Christ. VETIVS EPAGATHVS MATVRVS PROTHENVS ATTALVS SANCTVS and PHOTINVS B. of Lions all suffered for the testimonie of Christ in France And BLANDINA a worthie woman suffered many torments and renued her spirituall courage by continuall iteration of these wordes Christianasum that is I am a Christian Euseb. eccl hist. lib 5. cap 1. Bucolc Index In like maner Christians were persecuted with the slaÌ„derous speches of Pagans objecting vnto them the bankets of THYESTES the chambering of OEDIPVS that is the eating of mens flesh incestuous copulations Euseb. ibid. But men who are giuen to the mo-mentaneal delites of sin are not willing to die because that by death they are separat from all bodily pleasures The Christians by patient and willing suffering of death for Christs sake clearely witnessed vnto the world that they were not addicted to the deceitfull pleasures of sinne Iustin. Martyr Apol Neuerthelesse these slanderous speeches were credited by the Pagans and tooke such deepe root in their heartes that these who seemed before to be more meeke and moderat then others now they became full of madnesse and rage against Christians and that which was foretolde by our master Christ it was fulfilled at this time to wit The time shall come that whosoeuer killeth you shall thinke hee doth God seruice Iohn 16. 2. the huge number of martyrs that were slaine in the furie of this persecution are both accuratly and at great length set downe by that holy man of God who lately wrote the booke of the martyrs I onely point out shortly the estate of the Church at this time In this Emperours time good men were not inlacking who admonished him to appease his wrath against Christians such as CLAVDIVS APOLLINARIS B. of Herapolis and MELITO B of Sardis But nothing could asswage his cruell heart vntill hee was casten intâ—… the fornace of grieuous troubles himselfe for his armâ—… that fought against the Germanes and Sarmatians fell into great distresse for want of water but was supported by the prayers of the Christian legion that was in his armie For they bowed their knees to Christ and prayed for helpe and the Lorde Iesus sent raine in aboundance to refresh the armie of the Romanes and dashed the Barbarians with thunder and fire In remembrance whereof the Christian legion was after that time called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fulmâ—…natrix Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 5. After this victorie he asswaged his anger and wrote to the Senat of Rome to deale gently with Christians by whose prayers hee acknowledged both himselfe and his armie to haue receiued deliuerance from God Commodus COMMODVS the sonne of ANTONINVS reigned 13. yeeres Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 5 Cap. 27. Many of the Roman's not without a cause called him INCOMMODVS He presumed to doe great things and to change the names of months and would haue the month of December to be called Câ—…mmodus like as the two names of two months Quâ—…ntilis Sextilâ—…s had bene changed in time bypast and called Iulins and Augustus for honour of these two welbeloued Emperours But hee was not so well fauoured of the people that this ordinance could haue place any longer then during his owne lifetime The Churel in his dayes was not altogether free of persecution for APOLLONIVS a man of noble birth in Rome and a man of great erudition fuffered death because hee would not forsake the Christian religion His accuser also was punished to the death Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 21. Such aduantages Iudges might easily haue taken finding so many discrepant lawes some made in fauour and some conceiued in disliking of Christians Pertinax and Julianus AELIVS PERTINAX Imp. 6. months DIDIVS IVLIANVS 21 months Chytr Chron. EVSEBIVS maketh no mention of D. IVLIANVS but of PERTINAX alanerly to whome succeeded SEVERVS Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 5. cap. 27. Chap. 2 IN this second Centurie the Bishops of Rome for the most part prooued faithfull and worthy seruants of Christ. A great number of them were baptized with the Baptisme of Christ dranke of the cup that Christ drank of and were drenched with their owne blood and they watred the Church of Rome with the streames of their blood as Egypt is watred and made fruitfull with the inundation of Nilus Men of blessed remembrance DAMASVS writeth that from S. PETER to TELESPHORYS all the Bishops of Rome were martyrs Others added that vntill the dayes of SYLVESTER who liued in the time of the reigne of CONSTANTINE all the Bishops of Rome had the honour of martyrdome But in these hyperbolicke speeches neither hath the distinction betweene a Martyr and a Consessour beene rightly considered albeit well marked by Eusâ—…b eccl hist. lib. 5. cap. 2. neither hath the historie of the reigne of ANTONINVS PIVS bene rightly pondered in whose dayes HYGINVS and PIVS liued and were not slaine for the testimony of Christ. Alwayes it is a maleuolous minde that holdeth backe from worthie men their due praise and commendation both in doing of good and patient suffering of euill for Christes sake In rehearsing the names of the Romaine Bishops I thought meete to follow IRENEVS and EVSEBIVS rather then PLATINA In the first Centurie after
to them was committed the gouernement of Prouinces and nations as clearely appeared in the preferment of DOROTHEVS and GORGONIVS Thirdly they had libertie to builde oratories and temples large and ample in euery citie Euseb eccl hist. lib. 8. cap. 1. All this came to passe in the fourtie yeeres peace that interueened betweene the reigning of VALERIAN and the nineteenth yeere of the reigne of DIOCLETIAN Yet the Church of Christ in this shorte time beganne to be feastered with the corrupt maners of carnall and fleshly people so that contentions abounded but charitie waxed cold in the Church of God Euseb. ibid. What wonder was it then that the Lorde permitted this tenth and most horrible persecution of DIOCLETIAN to stirre and to waken drowsie Christians who were beginning to be fashioned'according to the likenesse of the world In the 19. yeere of his imperiall authoritie and in the month of March this horrible periccution beganne to arise DIOCLETIAN in the East and MAXIMIANVS in the West bending all their forces to root out the profession of Christians out of the world DIOCLETIAN was puft vp in pride for his manifolde victories and triumphes and would bee counted a God adorned his shoes with gold precious stones commanded the people to kisse his feet This persecution continued 10 yeeres euen vntill the seuenth yeere of the reigne of CONSTANTINE the great So that whatsoeuer crueltie was practised by MAXIMIANVS MAXIMINVS MAXENTIVS and LICINIVS algoeth vnder the name of DIOCLETIAN the authour of this tenth persecution Crnell edicts and proclamations were set foorth in the beginning of this persecution commanding to ouerthrow cast to the ground the temples of Christians to burne the bookes of holy scripture to displace all such as were magistrats and were in office and to cast Christian Bishops into prison and to compell them with sundrie kinds of punishments to offer vnto Idoles Also common people who would not renounce the profession of Christianitie to bee spoyled of their libertie Euseb. lib. 8 cap 3. These edicts were hastely put in execution Many Christians were scourged racked cruciated with intollerable torments Some were violently drawne to impure sacrifice and as though they had sacrificed when indeede they did not were let go some were cast downe vpon the ground and drawne by the legges a great space and the people was made to beleeue that they had sacrificed some stoutly withstood them and denied with a loude voice that they had bene or euer would be partakers of idolatrie Notwithstanding of the weake sort many for feare and infirmitie gaue ouer euen at the first brunt Euseb lib 8. cap. 3. When the foresaid edicts were proclaimed both the Emperours hapned to be in the town of Nicomedia notwithstanding a certaine Christian beeing a noble man borne whose name was IOHN ran and tooke downe the proclamation and openly tare and rent it in pieces For which fact hee was put to a most bitter death which he patiently indured vntill his last gaspe Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 5. The generall captaine of the armie of DIOCLETIAN gaue choice to the souldiers whether they would obey the Emperours commandement in offering sacrifices and keepe still their offices or else lay away their armour and be depriued of their offices but the Christian souldiers were not onely content to lay away their armour but also to offer themselues vnto the death â—…ather then to obey such vnlawfull commandements Euseb. lib. 8 cap. 4. In Nicomedia the Emperour refrained not from the slaughter and death of the children of Emperours neither yet from the slaughter of the chiefest princes of his court such as PETER whose body beeing beaten with whips and torne that a man might see the bare bones and after they had mingled vineger and salt they powred it vpon the most tender partes of his body and lastly rosted him at a soft fire as a man would rost flesh to eate and so this victorious martyre ended his life DOROTHEVS and GORGONIVS beeing in great authoritie and office vnder the Emperour after diuerse torments were strangled with an halter The torments that PETER suffered encouraged them to giue a worthy confession that they were of that same faith and religion that PETER was of Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 6. This persecution raged most vehemently in Nicomedia where the Emperours palace through some occasion beeing set on fire the Christians were blamed as authors of that fact Therefore so many as could bee found out were burned with fire or drowned in water or beheaded with the sword amongst whome was ANTHIMVS Bishop of Antiochia who was beheaded The bodies of the sonnes of Emperours that were buried thâ—…y digged out of their graues and sent them in boates to be buried into the bottome of the sea lest Christians should haue worshipped them as gods if their sepulchres had bene knowne Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 6. such opinion they had of Christians The number of twentie thousand burned in one temple of Nicomedia by MAXIMIANVS smelleth of the libertie that NICEPHORVS taketh in adding many things to the veritie of the historie The martyrdome of SERENA the Emperour DIOCLETIANS wife is rejected by learned men as a fable albeit recorded by HERMANNVS GIGAS The number of Christians cast into prison and appointed for death was so great that scarcely if a voide place could be found in a prison to thrust in a murtherer or an opener of graues such heapes of Christians were inclosed in darke prisons Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 6. The martyrs of Palestina of Tyrus in Phenicia of Tarsus of Antiochâ—…a of Alexandâ—…ia of Mâ—…letina in Armenia and of Pontus Cappadocia and Arabia they could not easily bee numbred In Thebaida horrible and vnnaturall crueltie was vsed against Christian women whome they hanged vpon gibbetts with their heades down-ward toward the ground and fastened one of their legges allanerly to the gibbet the other beeing free thus their naked bodies hanging vpon trees in maner foresaid presented to the beholders a spectacle of most vile and horrible inhumanitie Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 9. In like maner the branches of trees were artificially bowed downe to the earth and the feete and legges of Christians tied to them so that by their hastie returning againe vnto their naturall places the bodies of Christians were rent in pieces This was not a crueltie finished in a short space of time but of long continuance some dayes 20. some 30. some dayes 60. and at some times an hundreth were with sundrie kindes of torments excruciated vnto the death And these torments they suffered with joy and gladnesse and singing of Psalmes vntill the last breath Euseb. ibid. In Phrygia a towne was set on fire by the Emperours commandement the name where of EVSEBIVS passeth ouer with silence and the whole inhabitants beeing Christians men women and children were burned with fire Euseb lib. 8. cap. 11. TIRANNION Bishop of Tyrus ZENOBIVS Presbyter of Sidon SILVANVS Bishop of Gaza and PAMPHILVS
charitie euen toward their hatefull enemies Euseb. lib. 9. cap. 8. The second time whereinto MAXIMINVS seemed to change his minde toward Christians was after the victorie obtained by CONSTANTINE and LICINIVS against MAXENTIVS The said two Emperours set foorth edictes in fauour of the Christians and MAXIMINVS rather fearing CONSTANTINE then louing God began in his bounds also to stay the rage of cruell persecution as the letter written to his Deputie SABINVS clearely declareth Euseb. lib. 9. cap. 9. But incontinent after hee altered his minde and set foorth newe commandements to persecute the Christians Yet the Lord pitying the grieuous afflictions of his persecuted Church brought this Tyrant to an ende For hee made warre against LICINIVS beeing counselled thereto by his sorcerers and charmers who promised vnto him good successe in his battell against LICINIVS but the contrarie fell out for hee was discomfited and cast off his imperiall ornaments and fledde feeble and naked and mixed himselfe with the effeminat multitude wandering through townes and lurking in villages hardly escaped the handes of his enemies After this he killed and put to death those enchanters and deceiuers who had bewitched him all his dayes and had put him in esperance of victorie in his battell foughten against LICINIVS and shortly after oppressed with a certaine disease glorified the God of the Christians and made a most absolute lawe for the safetie and preseruation of them And so the Tyrant of Tyrants by the vehemencie of his sicknesse ended his life Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 9. cap. 10. After wee haue spoken a litle of MAXENTIVS who was chosen Emperour by the Praetorian souldiers resteth nothing but to conclude this short summe of the historie of the ten persecutions with the ende and death of that notable hypocrite LICINIVS MAXENTIVS was so villanous in his behauiour that hee abstained not from abusing of the wiues of noble senatours whome hee reft violently from their husbands and contumeliously abused them and sent them backe againe Euseb lib. 8. cap. 14. The like villanie also hee intended till haue done to a certaine Christian gentlewoman at Rome called SOPHRONIA whose husband neither could nor durst make resistance to the vile appetite of the proud Emperour but this noble woman desiring libertie to goe to her chalmer to adorne and decke her selfe a shorte while and after shee would goe with the messingers to the Emperour shee chused rather to put her selfe to death in her chalmer then to be abused by him Euseb. lib. 8. cap. 15. Which lamentable fact being reported to him hee was nothing mooued therewith neither abstained hee any white from his wonted sinnes The people of Rome beeing wearie of his villanie sent to CONSTANTINE for aide who gathered an armie in France and Brittaine to represse this Tyrant to whome when hee approched hee feared MAXENTIVS charmes wherewith hee was supponed to haue vanquished SEVERVS whome GALERIVS MAXIMINVS had sent against him before and stood in doubt what to doe and as hee was doubting hee cast his eyes oftimes to heauen and sawe about the going downe of the sunne a brightnesse in the heauen in the similitude of a Crosse with certaine starres of equall bignesse giuing this inscription like Latin letters In hoc vince that is in this ouercome Euseb. lib. 1. de vita Constantini After this vision his banner was made in the similitude of a Crosse and caried before him in his warres MAXENTIVS was compelled to issue out of the towne against CONSTANTINE whose force when hee was not able to sustaine he fled and retired in hope to get the citie but was ouerthrowne off his horse about the bridge called Pons Milvius and drowned in the flood DIOCLETIAN hearing tell of the prosperous successe of CONSTANTINE and what edicts hee had set foorth for the peace of Christians for very griefe hee died Others alledge that he poysoned himselfe Ann. 317. LICINIVS was made CAESAR by MAXIMINVS as said is He was very familiar with CONSTANTINE and was his colleg in the gouernement 7. yeeres and maried CONSTANTIA the sâ—…er of CONSTANTINE Euseb. lib. 10. cap. 8. Likewise he concurred with him to subdue the tyrant MAXENTIVS Also he ouercame MAXIMINVS in battell He purposed likewise to haue circumueened and slaine the good Emperour CONSTANTINE to whome he was many wayes greatly addebted but the Lord disappointed his counsells preserued CONSTANTINE to the great benefite and well of his Church But LICINIVS failing of his purpose conuerted his rage against the Christians notwithstanding he had set out edicts before to procure their peace Hee pretended this quarrell against them that they prayed for the welfare of CONSTANTINE and not for his welfare Euseb. lib. 2. de vita Constantini He set foorth against the Christians three cruell edicts 1. Inhibiting assemblies and conuentions of Bishops to consult in matters belonging to their religion 2. He discharged women to resort to the assemblies where men were to pray or to be instructed in matters pertaining to religion 3. Hee commanded that no man should visite imprisoned Christians or succour them with any reliefe threatning against the contraueeners such punishment as the imprisoned persons were to suffer Euseb. li. 10. ca. 8. After these edicts the mountaines woods wildernesses began to be the habitation of the Lords saints Euseb. lib. 10. cap. 8. The Bishops about Libya and Egypt were taken cut in pieces and their flesh cast into the sea to be baite to the fish And this was done by the flatterers of LICINIVS supponing to gratifie him by the cruell handling of the Lords seruants In his time were put to death these 40. martyres of whome BASILIVS writeth who were set in a pond of water all night lying open to the blasts of the cold Northerne winds and in the morning they beeing frozen and almost senslesse with the extremitie of the colde yet were caried vpon carts to be burned with fire to the ende their poore carkeises might feele by experience whether the extremitie of cold or heate were the greater torment Of these 40. noble souldiers of Christ one beeing stronger then the rest indured the vehemencie of the cold better to whome his mother came not to desire him to embrace this present life by a filthie denial of Christ nor to weepe for the paines of the tormented body of her sonne but rather to exhortâ—…her sonne to perseuere constantly in the faith of Christ to the ende for shee craued licence to lift vp her sonne with her owne handes into the cart admonishing him to accomplish that happie journey he had begunne But whether these were the 40. martyres who suffered the like punishment in Sebastia a towne of Armenia or not Sozom. lib. 9. cap. 2. it is not certaine in respect that some circumstances set downe by BASIL doe not agree to those of Sebastia Basil. Magn. in 40 martyres Likewise in this persecution suffered BARLAN a noble man mentioned in a sermon of BASILIVS who
the ministration of the holy communion is called the oblation of the altar the table whereupon the bread and wine were laide was called the altar the bread and the wine are called the offering or the sacrifice because part of it was distributed in the holy communion to keepe a memoriall of the Lordes death and the rest was giuen to the sustentation of the poore and in that respect also it was called a sacrifice as the scripture speaketh To do good to distribute forget not fo with such sacrifices God is pleasâ—…d Heb. 13. ver 16. The last part of the decreet is blasphemous and falsly attributed to FABIAN because the sinnes of men and women who beleeueâ—… and repent are forgiuen onely for the mâ—…rite of that bloodie sacrifice which the Lord Iesus offered vpon the crosse for our sinnes But our furnishing of elements to the communion and sustentation of the poore cannot merite forgiuenesse of sinnes The successour of FABIANVS was CORNELIVS the 20. Bishop of Rome He had a great strife against NOVATVS his complices He assembled a Councill at Rome of 60. Bishops besides Elders and Deacons by whome the heresie of NOVATVS was condemned and the Novatians were separated from the fellowship of the Church Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43. CORNELIVS was banished from Rome by the Emperour DECIVS and sent to a towne in Hetruria called Centumcellae where he had great comfort by the mutuall letters that passed betweene him and CYPRIAN Bishop of Carthage When the Emperour gote knowledge of this he sent for CORNELIVS accused him as a man who not onely despised the worshipping of the gods was disobedient to the Emperours commandement but also that hee was a trafficker against the estate of the empire by receiuing sending letters beyond sea CORNELIVS answered that he wrote os matters pertaining to Christ the saluation of mens soules not of matters belonging to the estate of the empire Notwithstanding the Emperour DECIVS commanded that he shuld be scourged with plumbats this was a sort of grieuous whip and afterward that hee should be led to the temple of MARS with commandement to put him to death incase he refused to worship the image of MARS Thus was CORNELIVS beheaded for the name of Christ after hee had gouerned 2. yeeres 3. dayes Platin de vit Oras EVSEBIVS writeth 3. yeeres lib. 7. cap. 2. LVCIVS the 21. Bishop of Rome was successour to CORNELIVS and continued in the gouernement of the Church of Rome 3. yeeres 3 months 3. dayes Platin. Euseb. onely 8. months lib. 7. cap. 2. One decretall epistle is asligned vnto him written vnto the Bishoppes of Fâ—…ance and Spaine whereinto hee braggeth that the Bishops of Rome cannot erre in matters of faith Tom 1. Concil but the ineptitude of a barbarous Latine stile whereinto the Epistle is dited declareth it hath bene written by an vnlearned Asse and not by LVCIVS Bishop of Rome STEPHANVS 22. Bishop of Rome ruled that Church 2. yeres Euseb. eccl hist. lib. 7. cap. 5. Platin. 7. yeeres 5. months 2. dayes He was greatly commoued against CYPRIAN B. of Carthage because that by his opinion of rebaptizing those who were baptized by Heretiques the vnitie of the Church of Christ was perturbed and rent PLATINA writeth that CYPRIAN before his martyrdome forsooke his opinion of rebaptizing and was content by imposition of handes according to the custome of the Romaine Church to receiue such as had bene baptized by Heretiques Platin. in vit Lucii The constitution anent consecrated garments that men in spiritual offices should weare in the Church no else where lest they incurre the like punishment with BALTASAR who abused the holy vessels of the house of God Dan. 5. in my opinion is not judiciously attributed by PLATINA vnto this Bishop STEPHANVS because the ordinance smelleth rather of Iudaisme then of Christian religion and the reason subjoyned to the constitution is altogether impertinent It was sacriledge indeede and a proude contempt of God in the person of BALTASAR to drinke common wine with his harlots in the vessels of gold dedicated to the holy seruice of God but an holy preacher to walke in that same apparell in the streete whereinto hee preached and ministred the communion in the Church this is no sinne nor a thing forbidden by any Apostolicke precept But PLATINA is dreaming when hee ascribeth such friuolous constitutions to a Bishop preparing himselfe for death for PLATINA supponeth that hee was martyred in the dayes of GALLIENVS Let the reader marke vpon what sandie ground of fâ—…iuolous constitutions and falsly alledged Popish faith is grounded The decree of STEPHANVS anent mariage bearing that the Priestes Deacons and Subdeacons of the Orientall Church were coupled in matrimonie but in the Romaine Church no person in a spirituall office froÌ„ the Bishop to the Subdeacon had libertie to marrie Tom 1. Concil â—…x Gratiano if it were true as it is assuredly false the Oriental Church hath a great commendation because they would not be wiser then God and they would not lay the yocke of the ordinances of men vpon the consciences of their Church-men but prohibition of mariage which I haue prooued to be a doctrine of deuils cannot be referred to so ancient a beginning The Romaine church desirous to be masked with a shewe of antiquitie they haue attributed Canons to the Apostles which are not found in their writings Yet it is a shame to the forgers of these canons to be found the principall impugners and transgressers of them cap. 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say A Bâ—…shop elder or Deacon who vnder pretence of religion repudiateth his owne wife if he cast her off let him be excommunicated and if hee perseuere in so doing let him be deposed How can this constitution of STEPHANVS agree with the Canons of the Apostles Heere I appeale the consciences of honest and vpright men if they finde not that the lie iâ—… not onely repugnant vnto the veritie but also vnto it selfe The supposititious Canons of the Apostles the supposititious constitutions of STEPHANVS cannot both consist I know what they answere viz. that the Canons of the Apostles speake of those Bishops Elders Deacons who had wiues when they were admitted to ecclesiastical offices these should not repudiat their wiues vnder pretence of religion but anent others who were vnmaried in the time of their admission the 25. Canon declareth otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to vnmaried men who are promoted to the clergie we command that if they please they shall marie but onely readers and singers to wit shall haue this priuiledge It is an vnsufferable thing to heare such leuitie and inconstancie imputed to the holy Apostles that they debarred no man from the office of a Bishop Elder or Deacon because he was a maried man O but if any man enter vnmaried to be a Bishop Elder or Deacon then he must not marie If mariage had bene
followed the opinion of ORIGEN without examining it in the balance of holy scripture Ambros. in Psal. 118. saith that all men must goe through the fire at the latter day euen IOHN himselfe the belooued disciple of Christ of whose death also some doubted yet no man can doubt of his passing through the fire Thus AMBROSE suffered this opinion of ORIGEN to sincke into his heart as though it had beene the vndoubted Oracle of God which no man should call in question HILARIVS maketh no exception of the blessed Virgine the mother of our Lord in Psa. 118 but she must also go through this fire at the latter day And this is a foolish thing to followe any man further then he doth follow Christ the warrant of the written word of God 1. Cor. 11. And therefore the first generall Councill Ann. 551. as wise behind the hand was compelled to examine the bookes of ORIGEN to excōmunicat himself albeit dead long afore to damne his books and vaine opinions specially anent his Purgatorie This Origenian errour before it was seriously impugned it was changed to the worse and grew neerer to the originall of PLATOES Phlegeton againe for ORIGEN AMBROSE and HILARIVS spake of a fire that should burne at the latter day which al men behooued to passe through before they could enter into the place of refreshment but PLATO in his dialogue Phedo spake of a flood of fire whereinto men behoued to bee tried and purged immediatly after their soules were separated from their bodies and what soules I pray you Not the soules of the best men which went to heauen nor the worst men for they went to hell but the soules of men that were not into a mid rancke neither very good nor very euill This opinion I say somewhat neerer to the opinion of PLATO then to the opinion of ORIGEN beganne to take place about the foure hundreth yeere of our Lord as the distinctions of AVGVSTINE clearely witnesse Valde bom valde mali non valde mali Augustin enchiridion ad Laurent Idem de octo Dulcitii quaest Thus wandering errours once taking place became like vnto a fretting canker euery day worse worse If any man think strange that so vile an error neither agreable to scripture neither yet to it self but changing the similitude of it as the Chameleon doth his collour it preuailed wonderfully and was so fastened into the peoples hearrts that scarcely can it be rooted out of their mindes in our dayes To this I answere that besides the authoritie of the fathers aboue specified who were entangled with errour euen they also who found out the opinion of Purgatorie fire to be erroneous and repugnant to scripture yet did they not fully and in all points impugne this false and lying doctrine but onely in a parte As namely AVGVSTINE refuteth that part of CLEMENS and ORIGENS opinion wherein they thought that the deuils and wicked men after suffering of long tormentes may possibly be forgiuen and finde mercy By one place of scripture he vtterly vndoeth that opinion Depart'vnto the cuerlasting fire prepared for Sathan and his angels Mat. 25. ver 4 And in the booke of the Reuelation And they shall bee tormented night and day for euer and euer Apoc. 20 August lib. 20. 21. de civit Dei Yet the other parte of the errour that tooke deepe root in his dayes AVGVSTINE knewe it better then he impugned it lest he should gain-say the receiued opinion among all the people who thought that the soules of many men after their death were tormented with fire for a while vntill a full satisfaction were made for the faultes that men committed in their life-time Against this opinion AVGVTINE speaketh but softly Non valde coarguo for sitan verum est that is I doe not greatly reprooue it possibly it is true August De civit De◅lib 21. cap. 26. This was also some strengthening of errour that it was not fully in all points clearely refuted by godly fathers whose comporting with the weakenesse of the people in a parte CHEMNIICIVS himselfe calleth prudence and wisdome but serious impugning of erroneous doctrine had beene more agreable to the will of God Alwayes AVGVSTINE in his doubtsome speach giueth no ground to Papists to make vp a newe article of faith anent Purgatorie For like as Constantinople was a great citie yet when it was shaken with an earthquake three dayes and three nights no man taried in that great towne to builde a new house during that time euen so AVGVSTINE is a great doctour yet when hee taketh him to forsitan or per◅aps this is not a sure ground to leane vpon This vnhappie conceit of Purgatorie fire had many handmaids waiting vpon her some going before and others following after her Before the conceit of Purgatorie goeth an opinion of our owne satisfactions For the faultes committed by vs after Baptisme if we do not perfitly satisfie for them before our death it resteth that in Purgatorie fire we should absolue the rest of our pennance that is vnfulsilled How much this first handmaide derogateth from the glory of Christ the Apostle witnesseth when he saith The blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne I. Ioh. I. making no exception ofsinnes after Baptisme committed The other handmaide preceeding the conceit of Purgatorie is praier for the dead albeit in all the old and new Testament there be not one example of praying for the deade or yet offering of sacrifice for the dead Pardon 's followed sometimes called indulgences in another sense then now they are these pardons I say are the handmaids following Purgatorie by which the B. of Rome as absolut commander of Purgatorie hath made vnto himselfe infinite gaine Before I proceede any further I exhort all true Christians as they detest Paganisme euen so to detest all Ethnick errours when they are creeping in into the sanctuarie of God The golden Eagle of the Romanes was more abominable when it was set vp in the Temple of Ierusalem by HEROD Ioseph de bello Iudaico lib. 1. cap. 21. then when it was set vp in the Capitoll of Rome And the image of CAIVS CALIGVLA sent to PETRONIVS his Deputie to be set vp in the Temple of Ierusalem made all the Iewes agast and they were more willing to die then to see their Temple so filthily abused with idolatrie Ioseph antiq lib. 18 cap. 11. It is more seemely then that the golden Eagle and image of CAIVS remaine at Rome where they were first fashioned then to bee brought to the Temple of Ierusalem And it is more seemly also that the opiniō of Purgatory remaine in the schoole of PLATO at Athens or in the schoole of CLEMENS at Alex andria rather then to send it abroade through all Christian Congregations to bee beleeued For Christians ought to be like to the forlorne sonne after he returned home againe to his father Luc. 15. Hee was so well fed and
betwixt the Riuers Arnon Iordan and Iabbok by one apparent right the king of Ammon claimed that these lands should be restored vnto the Ammonites to whom of old they did belong but Iphtah refused to giue ouer the possession of these landes wherein the Reubenites and Gaaites dwelt and that for three great reasons First they receiued these landes out of the handes of their GOD by whose expresse commandement and warrant MOSES faught against Sihon king of Hesbon Secondly since the dayes of MOSES vntill the dayes of the gouernament of IPHTAH that is the space of three hundreth yeeres the people of Israel peaceablie possessed those landes And thirdly euen in the dayes of Moses these landes were taken out of the handes of the Amorites who were possessors of them at that time and not from the Ammonites For the like reasons I say we cannot agree to the doctrine of Inuocation of Saints First because wee haue receiued a perfect forme of prayer out of our LORDS hands wherein we are taught to pray onely to our Heauenly Father and not to Saints Secondly because the Church for the space of three hundreth yeeres after the LORDS ascension used no other forme of prayer then this to pray to GOD alone through IESUS CHRIST Thirdly if Papistes will needes make anie controuersie in this matter let them controuert with CHRISTS Apostles who haue left vnto their true successors this forme of prayer which we now use and such new young school-maisters as Papistes are wee cannot admit Against the seconde of the three preceeding reasons if they object that in the dayes of Cyprian the Christian Virgine whom Cyprian before his conuersion pursued with Magicall arts labouring to circumueene her shee prayed for helpe to the Virgine Marie as Nazianzenus writeth To this I answere that this narration which Nazianzenus hath found in some Apocryph booke is rejected by the learned as an vncertaine thing whereof Ierom writing of the conuersion of Cyprian maketh no mention Secondly this forme of prayer that a weake and timorous Virgine used was no liturgie nor forme of prayer used amongst Christian people in their holy assemblies and that thing which any one person doth of infirmitie and weakenesse is not to bee counted an ancient doctrine in the Church Seeing the Apostle warneth vs to absteine from all appearance of euill at least Papistes in their Inuocation of Saintes shoulde haue absteined from formes of speaking used in prayers made vnto the eternal GOD lest they should seeme to giue the glory onely due to the Creator to the creatures But in the matter of Inuocation of Saintes they haue set themselues forward with such impetuous speate that they cannot absteine from the honourable stiles giuen to GOD but these also must bee giuen to the Saintes The Prophet Dauid calleth the LORD his Rocke his Fortresse his Strength his Shield the Horne of his Saluation and his Refuge And in another Psalme GOD is our hope and helpe ◅rength in troubles readie to be found Are not all these honourable stiles and many more attributed to the Saintes in the ordinary prayers of the R◅ane Church Is not the Virgine Marie called the Queene of Heauen the prouident gouernor of Heauenly and Earthly powers the mother of mercie obteiner of pardon mediatrix to GOD-ward restorer of the grace to bee hoped for the mother of the militant Church the aduocate of the world Such pretious ointment as this is more meete to bee poured out vpon the feete of CHRIST then vpon the head of the Virgine Marie but a prodigall waster neither regardeth what hee giueth nor to whom they are but one steppe from calling the Virgine Marie directly eternall GOD for they put the gouernement of Heauenly and Earthly things vpon her shoulder they call her Queene of Heauen and the prince of peace What remaineth to bee said but one word that shee is almighty GOD and this stile also will bee necessarily inferred vpon the preceeding honourable titles attributed to her The honourable stile of an Aduocate Bellarmine is the bolder to attribute vnto the Virgine Marie because that Ireneus writeth Et sicut ill◅ seducta est ut effugeret DEVM sic h◅c suasa est ◅bedire DEO uti Virginis Euae Virgo Maria fieret advocata that is and like as she to wit Eva was seduced to depart from GOD euen so this woman to wit the Virgine Marie was perswaded to obey GOD to the end that the Virgine Marie might be an aduocate for the Virgine Eva. I am certaine that Bellarmine vnderstood not the meaning of Ireneus better then hee vnderstood the sence and meaning of his owne words In the words immediately preceeding Ireneus declares that like as sinne came in by disobedience in eating of the fruite of the forbidden tree euen so righteousnesse came in by him who manifested his obedience in another tree that is in suffering death vpon the Crosse. What neede had Be◅larmine to wreast the wordes of Ireneus after hee had set downe so cleare a commentarie of his owne words for hee calleth the Vi◅gine Marie an aduocate in respect of her blessed birth who by his obedience satisfied for the sinne that Adam brought in by his disobedience Now it is true that superstitiō is like vnto the Feau◅r called Hectica in the beginning hardly discerned but easie to bee cured and in end easily discerned but not easily cured Euen so it was hard to know what would bee the issue of the disputation of Origen when he disputed concerning the affection that Saintes departed carried towarde the members of the Militant CHURCH of GOD but it was easie to stay the course of this errour when hee who was the first author of it durst not auow it but in secret disputations said that possibly such a thing might bee But in our dayes the Feauer is growne to such an height that it is easier to discerne the errour then to find out a way to correct it What is then to bee done at this time where into errour hath preuailed so farre and of so long time that it is like vnto a Gangrene dayly becomming worse and worse so that it is apparently a remedilesse euill shall wee cease from damning superstition and let the people pray as they list It is better to follow the example of the holy Prophet Helias albeit Idolatrie was vniuersally ouer-spred in the kingdome of Israel yet he reproued the people for halting betweene two opinions and hee bowed his knees to GOD and prayed that the LORD would send fire from Heauen to burne the sacrifice and to seale vp in the hearts of the people that the GOD who made the Heauen and the Earth was the onely true GOD and onely to bee worshipped Euen so beside reprouing of superstitious Inuocation of Saints which also I haue done according to the measure of my knowledge in this Treatise I pray to the eternall GOD that hee
castiganda in morte corporis resolvenda in corporis resurrectione morte mortis sananda that is in the body of death it is to bee chastised in the death of the body it is to bee resolued and in the resurrection and in the death of death it is to be healed Therefore let vs not despare because wee are heauily loadned with sinne both originall and actuall buâ—…let vs haue esperance of healing because wee haue a gratious and a louing Phisitian Hee restored PETER with a fauourable looke hee saued one of the crucified theeues with a mercifull remembrance he cured the woman that was diseased with a bloodie issue with one touching the Centurions seruant with speaking one worde Now he who is mightie to saue loose vs in his owne appointed time from all the bands of our manifold sinnes to whome bee praise and glory for euer AMEN A TREATISE Of Justification by faith only THE defenders of mans free-will in all ages haue beene also enemies to the doctrine of grace and therefore this treatise doth adhere to the formâ—…r with a pertinent coherence The order I mind to follow by the Lords assistance in this question Whether we be iustified only by faith or partly by faith and partly by workes is this First shortly to intreat a place of Scripture whereinto this question is clearely discussed Next to speake of the difference of Iustification and Sanctification and of the Law and the Gospell And thirdly to declare that wee can not bee saued neither by our owne merites nor by the merites of other men but only by the merites of the suffering of Christ. The place of Scripture which I shall lay downe for a ground is this Beholde hee that lifâ—…eth up himselfe his minde is not upright in him but the inst shall liue by faith The purpose of the Prophet in this verse is to comfort GODS people who were to be transported captiues and prisoners to Babylon The Prophet would exhort them with patient expectation to waite vpon their promised deliuerance whereby it should come to passe that they should bee in better estate than the Babylonians their enemies for the Babylonians reioyced in their owne strength sacrificed vnto their owne net leaned vpon a staffe that could not hold them vp but GODS people albeit afflicted for a time if by faith they should take hold of the promise of GOD they should see in GODS appointed time a comfortableissue of all their troubles The Prophet in the worde Beholde would reduce them to a consideration of thinges they had seene with their eyes and heard with their eares to wit that their fathers who trusted more in the horses of Aegypt than in the quiet rest of the promises of GOD they found the helpe of Aegypt to be their confufion This one example which they saw with their owne eyes might haue taught them to leane at all times vpon the staffe of GOD and to forsake all vaine confidence either in themselues or others In the next wordes he who is pufâ—… vp in himselfe The Prophet expresly pointeth out the persons of whom he is speaking namely of them who leanes not vnto their own strength or wisdome Truely GODS people should bee like vnto mount Sion faire in situation and the glory of the whole earth yet not reioycing in it selfe but in the goodnes of GOD who pleased to dwell in the palaces thereof who laid the foundations of it in the holy mountaines and who loued the gates of Sion more than all the habitations of IACOB Let Caucasus Olympus Parnassus and Atlas reioyce in their bignesse and height but Sion reioyceth in this that it is the mountaine which GOD hath chosen to bee the place whereupon his holy Sanctuary should bee builded So do the Elect of God reioyce in the Lords goodnes but others are lift vp in themselues as the Prophet speaketh In the wordes following his heart is not vpright in him the Prophet declareth the inconuenience that followeth vpon the leaning to our owne strength to wit wee are vtterly disapointed of our expectation and whereas we looked for rest tranquillitie to our consciences the contrare falleth out that wee are like vnto men out of their right wits wauering minded so tossed with doubting that they knowe not whar course to take because their minde is not solidly settled nor vpright within them This is the iust Iudgement of GOD punishing the contempt of that quiet and peaceable harbery that is to bee found in the bosome of the compassions of GOD in his Sonne CHRIST IESVS they who despise this sure harbery are worthy to be tossed with mighty stormes and to bee in hazard and ieopardie of their lifes as the Centurion was who despised the wholsome counsell of PAVL at Candie Followeth in the wordes of the Prophet but the iust man shall liue by faith Like as they who leane vpon their own strength can find no tranquillitie and rest vnto their consciences euen so on the other part these who by constant faith leane vpon the promises of GOD they shall finde rest to their soules but the Prophet chooseth rather to say that the iust man shall liue by faith to declare that by leaning to the sweete promises of GOD worde wee snall not onely finde rest vnto our soules but also spirituall life which is the fountaine of true rest and tranquillite so are we in this cace not vnlike vnto SAVL who in seeking his fathers asses found a kingdome and we in seeking of rest we haue found life the true fountaine of our rest The last wordes of the verse by his oene faith are to be considered for by them wee perceiue that the promises of GOD must bee particularly applied to our soules and that wee must not bee wauering and doubtsome in our faith but firme and stable forasmuch as thinges necessarie to the maintenance of this present life haue also neede to bee particularly applied such as food rayment and medicine Euen so in things necessarie vnto eternall life our soules haue great neede of particular application of comfort wee must haue the blood of the Lambe sprinckled vpon the posts of our owne houses else can wee not bee saued from the sworde of the destroying Angell wee must also receiue the Angels of GOD vnder our owne roofe with LOT else can wee not bee saued from the flame of fire which destroyeth vngodly cities And finally wee must bee like vnto the vessels of the LORDES tabernacle which were all particularly anointed with holy oyle in time of the dedication of the Tabernacle else we shall not be counted holy vessels in the house of our GOD. But because the Apostle BAVL citeth this place of Scripture to confirme that wee are iustified onely by faith consider howe firme and sute this argument standeth Wee are iustified by that same thing whereby our soules doe liue but so it is that our soules doe onely liue by faith therefore we
shall happen at anie time those persons or their children to bee indigent who haue doted anierent to the Church let them render a just deserued retribution to their bene-factors in sustaining them to whose beneuolence they are addoted The Deacons are decerned to be inferiour to Presbyters Let the Leuites bee content to bee cloathed with their ORARIVM onelie vpon their left shoulder and not vpon their right shoulder and let it neiâ—…her bee beautified with coloures nor with golde PLATINA in the life of ZOSINVS calleth it LINOSTIMA Let Clergie-men haue the vpper-moste part of their heads bare and shauen and the lower-part rounded not following the example of the Readers of GALLICIA who did shaue onehe a little of the vpper-moste-part of the haire of their head conforming themselues in so doing to the custome of some Heretiques which dishonour is to bee remoued from the Churches of Spaine No strange women shall cohabite with Church-men onelie their mother or sister or her daughter or fathers sister maye dwell with them amongst which persons the bandes of nature permitteth not to suspect anie sinne according to the constitutions of auncient Fathers Some of the Clergie who are not married are intangled with the forbidden lust of strange women let the bishop separate them sell the women and redact the men infected with their lust for a space vnto pennance If a man of the Clergy marrie a wife or a widow or a deuorced woman or an harlot without aduise of his bishop let the bishop separate them againe Clergie-men who haue cloathed themselues with armour voluntarilie and haue gone to warre-fare let them bee deposed from their office and bee thrust into a Monasterie there to remaine all the dayes of their life Church-men who are found spoyling the sepulchres of persons departed let them bee deposed and be subject vnto three yeeres pennance By the coÌ„mandement of king Sisenandus Churchmen are eximed from all publike indictioÌ„s labours to the end with greater libertie they may attende vpon spirituall seruice Let bishops haue some of their owne Clergie to bè rulers of their house-holde-affaires according as the Councell of Chalcedon hath ordained A man is made a monke either by his parents deuotion or by his own profession but whether he be embarked into the Monastike life the one way or the other there is no regresse againe vnto a seculare estate Persons of the Clergie who are desirous to enter into a Monasteriâ—… and to lead a comtemplatiue life let not their bishops hinder the purpose of their minde because they haue intention to enter into a better trade of liuing Bishops haue power to constitute Abbots to gouerne Monasteries and to correct enormities that shall happen to fall out amongst them but not to redact them to seruile offices nor to conuert the rents of the Abacie to their owne vse as a possession duelie belonging to themselues The Monkes who leaue their Monasterie returne againe to a secular life and marrie wiues let them be brought backe againe to their owne Monasterie there to doe pennance and to lament for their by-past sinnes Religious men who wander vp and downe in a nation and are neither members of the Clergie nor Monkes of anie Monasterie let the bishop restraine their licentious libertie and appoint them either to serue in the Clergie or in a Monasterie except such as through infirmitie or age haue gotten an exemption They who haue confessed the committing of anie deadlie sinne cannot be promoted to Ecclesiasticall honours Secular men who in receiuing their pennance haue beene content to bee shauen and to put on a religious habite if they reuolt againe and will needes become Laikes and bee incorrigible then let them be counted apostates and excommunicate from the fellowship of the Church Widowes who haue put on a religious habite and vowed chastitie if they marrie they haue damnation according to the wordes of the Apostle 1. Tim. 〈◊〉 12. Iewes are not to be compelled to receiue the Christian faith but these who alreadie by constraint haue receiued it in the dayes of the noble king Sisebutus seeing they haue beene alreadie partakers of our Sacramentes let them bee compelled to perseuere lest the Name of the Lord Iesus be blasphemed and the faith which they haue embraced be counted vile and contemptible They who receiue bribes and rewardes from the Iewes to cloake their vngodlinesse and to foster them in their infidelitie let them bee accursed and counted strangers from the Church of Christ. Iewes after their conuersion to the Christian faith if they bee found to haue circumcised their sonnes or seruantes by the commandement of the moste religious king Sâ—…senandus it is ordained That the circumcised children of the Iewes shall bee separated from the fellowship of their parentes and the sâ—…ruants shall bee set at libertie for the injurie done vnto their bodie by circumcision Iewes who are punished to the death for any contempt done by them against CHRIST after their baptisme this punishment shall not prejudge their children from right to enjoye their goods if they bee faithfull because it is written The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the father Ezech. 18. 20. Let not Iewes after their conuersion haunt the companie of other superstitious Iewes as yet addicted to the abolished lawe of ceremonies lest they be perucrted if they transgresse this ordinance such of them as haue professed Christianitie shall bee giuen in seruice to Christians others shall bee appointed to bee publikely scourged Iewes who haue maried Christian women if they will not embrace Christian religion let them be separated from their wiues companie and let the children bee brought vp in the faith of their Christian mothers Iewes who haue once professed Christian faith and haue sliden backe againe from it shall not bee admitted witnesses before a Iudge albeit they professe themselues to bee Christians because like as their faith is suspected so in like manner their humane testimonie is to be doubted of Let no Iew bee preferred to any publike office Let no Iew presume to buy a Christian seruant which if hee doe the seruant shall bee taken from him and shall bee set at libertie Bishops who haue not benefited the Church by any proper donation of their owne goods they should not empouerish their Church by setting at liberty Church seruantes which thing if hee presume to doe his successour shall reduce those seruants againe to the possession of the Church whom iniquitie without any just right hath absolued A Bishop who setteth a seruant at libertie hauing first by permutation set another of the like worth and merite in his place shall denie libertie to the fore-saide seruant either to accuse or to beare witnesse against the Church whereinto he was a seruant else hee shall forfeit his libertie and bee reduced to his former seruile condition in
is clearlie witnessed in another place in those wordes Nowe the Spirit speaketh euidentlie that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith c. Defection in manners is so vsuall a thing that where the word of God is preached in most powerfull manner there also corruption in manners doeth abound arguing the euill inclination of our nature which taketh occasion by the commandement and worketh in vs all kinde of concupiscence so that the corruption of our nature is like vnto a gutter of water the passage whereof is hindered it gorgeth swelleth and setteth forwarde its owne accustomed waye more impetuouslie than euer it did before But the Apostle is speaking of a deeper mysterie and of a thing more rarely contingent to wit of an apostasie from the faith This is the sharpest of all punishments which GOD inflicted vpon mankinde for the contempt of his trueth to cast off a people into a reprobate minde whether wee looke to the actions of God who rejecteth or to the miseries of them who are rejected The actions of God who rejecteth are set downe by the Prophet Zacharie The Lord will not feede that people yea he will breake his shepheards staffe to wit the staffe called beautifull the staffe called bandes The miseries of them who are rejected are set downe by the Prophet Esai in these wordes Yee shall heare indeede but yee shall not vnderstand yee shall plainelie see and not perceiue make the heart of this people fatte c. So it commeth to passe when this heauie judgement is inflicted there is no comfort to bee founde neither in Heauen aboue nor in the Earth beneath When wee looke vp vnto God hee will feede vs no longer when wee looke downe to our selues wee receiue no comfort by the externall ministerie of the worde it is to vs the sauour of death yea and wee are in so desolate a case as the Prophet speaketh That that dieth let it die and that that perisheth let it perish and let the remnant euerie one eate the flesh of another Of this vnsupportable and remedilesse euill that there should bee a defection from the faith neither could the Church of the Iewes of olde nor the visible Church of late euer be content patiently to heare because it seemed to bee repugnant to the euerlasting couenant of God made with Abraham and his seede Neuerthelesse that same blessed mouth which made the couenant with Abraham and his seede fore-tolde also that they should bee cast off into a reprobate sense and that the Great Shephearde would feede them no longer Now both these things being vttered by the blessed mouth of God it is certaine that there is infallible truth in both it is better more agreeable with the honour of God to search out what way both these thinges can consist without impeachment one of another than so to talke of the couenant that wee shoulde gainsay the prophesie of the defection of the Church of the Iewes And the Apostle Paul hath wiselie obserued that the couenant of God is not annulled by the defection of the most part of the I◅wes in respect that a remnant are saued through the electiō of grace The Romane Church in like manner casteth vp that God hath promised that the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against the Church And the same God by the mouth of his holie Apostle hath fore-tolde that there shoulde bee a defection from the Faith Both these Prophesies must bee true neither doeth the apostasie of the great multitude presuppose that the Church of Christ is perished or the promise of God made of none effect but in the middest of this apostasie a remnant are saued according to the election of grace Ioseph in the yeeres of famine was prouident and kept corne asore-hand both for foode to men and beastes and for seede to the ground But Christ is more prouident in the yeeres of horrible apostasie from the faith to keepe afore-hand a saued hand-full as seede for the propagation of the Church Wherefore let no man conclude of the long lasting apostasie of the Iewes or yet of the Popish Church that the couenant of God is of none effect and that the Church is perished The Antichrist of whom the Apostle speakeeh is not one particular man opposite to the kingdome of Christ as manie doe thinke but rather a kingdome hauing fore-runners hauing a growth and hinderers of the growth hauing aduancers admirers worshippers followers discouerers against whom warres are intended y◅a long lasting warres vntill this kingdome be drunken with the blood of the Saincts and finally for this kingdome God hath ordained a fall whereat all her followers shall be sadde and lament for her sudden and vnexpected desolation but the Saincts in Heauen shall rejoyce All these thinges cannot bee done in one mans age Therefore I take the worde Antichrist for a kingdome opposite to the Kingdome of Christ hee is called the man of sinne emphaticklie because in multitude ripenesse and superlatiue excesse of all kinde of sinnes and abominations this kingdome goeth beyonde all other king◅omes lewder in manners more corrupt in doctrine more blasphemous in opinion more deceitfull in carriage more proude in attemptes euen against them who are in authoritie than anie societie of people hath beene before setting their mouthes against the Heauen commanding the Angels of God to carrie soules to Heauen because their armour was crossed their feete were in the waye leading to the Holy Land their intention was to fight against the Saracenes This did Pope Clemens the sixt in his Bull giuen to the crossed souldiours Nowe whether their soules haue bene purged by faith in the fountaine of Christes blood or not it is no matter it is enough that they died in that journey the Ang◅ls must bee obedient to the Romane Antichrist to carrie their soules foorthwith to Heauen after their death Notwithstanding of all this the man of sinne must bee counted so complete and perfect that hee cannot erre in matters of faith and to bee in such high preheminence that albeit hee carrie innumerable soules headlongs to Hell no man should demand of him wherefore hee did so Yea and further horrible sinnes such as promise breaking to Infideles and Heretiques and vile treasons against Christian Princes haue open allowance in the kingdome of the Romane Antichrist and therefore he may justly be called the man of sinne Moreouer the Antichrist is called the childe of perdition in two respects to wit actiuely and passiuely actiuely because hee is a ring-leader to those who walke in the way of perdition passiuely because hee is ordained for destruction and to be consumed by the breath of the mouth of Christ. In both these respectes Iudas seemeth to haue beene the type of the Antichrist first he was a ring-leader to the band of souldiours which came from the High Priest and the Rulers to take Christ secondlie he was appointed to destruction and of
was receiued for that is a Noueltie not hearde of before the 1200 yeere of our Lord at which time the Scholasticke Doctors who peruerted all Theologie woulde needes forge Sacramentes in number agreeing with the number of seuen principall vertues to wit FAITH HOPE CHARITIE IVSTICE PERSEVERANCE PRVDENCIE and TEMPERANCE So that Baptisme should answere to Faith Confirmation to Hope the holy Supper to Charitie the Sacrament of Pennance to Iustice extreame Unction to Perseuerance the Sacrament of Ordor to Prudencie and the Sacrament of Marriage to Temperancie These were the idle speculations of Scholasticke Doctors whereof the Romane Church in our dayes are almoste ashamed because if the number of Sacraments be numbered according to the number of principall vertues who seeth not that the number of Sacramentes in the olde and newe Testament must bee equall and neither moe nor fewer to the ende they may proportionally agree with the number of principall vertues But Augustino saieth that our Sacraments are fewer in number more easie to bee done and more significatiuely expressing the grace of God than the Sacramēts of the olde Testament Seeing the principall purpose of my TREATISES is to manifest the Noueltie of Popish Religion therefore in this TREATISE I affirme that the number of seuen Sacramentes was not mentioned by any Father preceeding this time Therefore the Councell of Trent in the prodigalitie of their Anathems and Cursings against all them who will acknowledge either moe or fewer Sacraments of the new Testament than seuen hath pronounced very vnaduisedly like as Aedipus slewe his father Laius king of Thebans in time of a sedition hauing no intention to slaye him Euen so the Councell of Trent willing to deliuer vs vnto the Deuill they are not aware that they haue deliuered Iustinus Martyr Ireneus Tertullian Ambrose Augustine and many other auncient Fathers to the Deuill who neuer acknowledged the number of 7. Sacraments as the Councell of Trent hath done Nowe a good ord◅r required that a definition of the Sacrament of P◅nnance should be set downe that we should search and inquire when it had a beginning and finally inquire what are the parts thereof and what things are necessarily required in it First concerning the definition of the Sacrament of Pennance all learned writers whome I haue read haue justly blamed the Scholasticke Doctors for this that they haue confidently affirmed that the Sacramentes are seuen in number yet haue not set foorth a definition which did agree with euerie one of the Sacramentes which they haue added to Baptisme and to the Lords Supper Concerning the time whereinto it had its beginning they are more particular namely that it had a beginning after that Christ arose from death and breathed vpon his Disciples and said R◅ceiue the Holy Ghost whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. Before this time say they there was no sacrament of Pennance neither in the olde Testament nor in the Baptisme of IHON nor in the Preaching of CHRIST when Hee preached the doctrine of Repentance And when the cause is demaunded wherefore there was no Sacrament of Pennance when men confessed their sinnes with a contrite heart and were baptized by IHON and brought foorth the fruits of amendement of life Wee can heare no answere except this that men confessed their sinnes in generall before they were baptized of IHON But in the Sacrament of Pennance a particular confession of sinnes is required And in this they discouer their owne weaknesse for in the action of repentance instituted by GOD it is enough that all things be present which God requireth But in the Sacrament of Pennance instituted by man not by God if any thing be inlaking which humane cogitation hath founde out the doctrine of Ihon Baptist the contrition consession and satisfaction of the people together with Ihon Baptists absolution all is nothing There is yee one new piece inlacking which the Romane Church hath sowed to an olde garment and when that new clout is absent which they haue imagined themselues all is naught Now seeing that in the olde Testament there are found m◅nie testimonies of true repentance the heart the mouth and conuersation all witnessing that the penitent sinner was vn◅ainedly conuerted vnto God How commeth it to passe that the Romane Church ouer-giueth the old Testamēt as a time whereinto the Sacrament of Pennance had no place because it was not as yet instituted by Christ But they count it a Sacrament of the new Testamēt instituted by Christ after his resurrection The Apostle Paul is not so vncouth in his speaches who attributeth Baptisme to the Iewes and Circumcision to vs 1. Cor. 10. Phil. 3. in regarde their Sacramentes differed from our Sacramentes rather in the signe than in the thing signified But the Romane Church is so disgusted of the olde Testament that they cannot admit that the Sacrament of Pennance had place at that time Notwithstanding whatsoeuer can bee spoken of the repentance of Marie Magdalene and Zaccheus in the newe Testament the like may be spoken of the repentance of Dauid in the olde Testament 2. Sam. 12. 13. God mollified his heart and it was pearced with a deepe sense of his sinne God lowsed his tongue and he confessed his iniquitie against himselfe Psal. 32. 5. hee patiently endured the fatherly chastisementes of GOD inflicted vpon him for his sinne and the Prophet NATHAN pronounced forgiuenesse from GOD. Heere no man can deny but true repentance is founde in DAVID consisting in contrition of the heart confession of the mouth satisfaction in his deedes and absolution by the mouth of the Prophet And what more is requisite in Popishe Pennance Yet because DAVID consessed his sinnes vnto GOD and not to the Priest and hee patientlie sustained the chastisementes of GOD but not the pennance injoyned to him by the Priest All that DAVID did appertaineth nothing to the holy Sacramēt of Pennance which now is in vse in the Romane Church The Romane Church in this case is not vnlike vnto an herde of cattell possessed a long time into a folde if any vncouth beast enter in amongst them they will rudely putte at it because it is vncouth none of their fellowship Euen so when we speake of the repentance of Dauid which hath allowance in the holy Scripture of God of the repentance of Miriam whose satisfaction I meane to remooue the slander shee gaue to Gods people it was prescribed by Gods owne mouth and the repehtance of Ionas sealed vp by a miraculous worke of his deliuerance from the Whales belly All this is nothing to them for albeit here be founde repentance and absolution yet saye they not such as is founde in the Sacrament of Pennance in the Romane Church For in the olde Testament there is but a prediction that GOD will forgiue their sinnes prouiding that they repēt But in their Sacrament there is an actuall conferring of remission of sinnes ex opere operato to such
It is a Nouelty because that ancient Fathers wheÌ„ they spake of Satisfaction meaned not of a satisfactioÌ„ made to God but of a satisfaction made to the Church Yea and S. Augustine calleth it Satesfactio quiasatis fiebat Ecclesiae that is because the Church was satisfied It is also a blasphemous opinion because the honour only due to the merites of Christes suffering is attributed to the worthinesse of mens satisfactions such as Fasting Praying distribution of Almes going in Pilgrimage to holie places and such like offices But the vsurpation of the least of the honoures belonging onelie to CHRIST is hornbletreason in the sight of God CHRIST is a propitiation for our sinnes saieth the Apostle 1. Ihon chap. 2. vers 2. If anie man doe imagine that hee can make a satisfaction for his owne sinnes hee is blasphemous against the sonne of God And like as Iulian the Apostate when hee suffered himselfe tò bee saluted by the Armie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Emperour CONSTANTIVS the Emperour by that one worde vnderstoode the treasonable attemptes of his aspiring minde And let vs bee perswaded in our owne heartes That incase anie man imagine that hee can satiâ—…fie for his owne sinnes hee is but a Traitor against the SONNE of GOD. THe last head of Popishe Pennance is Absolution wherein three things doe concurre to wit blasphemie vncertaintie and foolishnesse It is blasphemie to saye that any man can forgiue finnes who is not Eternall GOD Marke 2. 7. except in forme of a Messenger executing GODS commaundement in such manner as GOD hath prescribed in his holie worde It is great vncertaintie to absolue men from the guiltinesse of their faults but not from their punishment insomuch that if they bee preuented by death before they haue fulfilled the pennance enjoyned by the Priest then their soules must bee tormented in Purgatorie vntill they haue made full satisfaction for their offences Then Popishe Absolution depending vpon the vncertaintie of a mans life cannot bee a certaine thing but a miserable excrutiation of poore soules put in vaine hope of absolution and yet vncertaine whether they be absolued or not Nowe because they will needes referre the institution of the Sacrament of Pennance vnto CHRIST as the Author thereof when Hee breathed vpon His Disciples and saide Whose sinnes yee remitte they are remitted c. Ihon chapt 20. verse 23. Necessitie constraineth them to prooue two thinges out of the wordes of CHRIST which they count essentiall in the Sacrament of Pennance First that CHRIST commaunded a penitent sinner to make a particulare rehearsall of his secrete sinnes in the eare of the Priest which thing CHRIST neuer commaunded Secondlie that in the absolution of a penitent sinner CHRIST commaunded to enjoyne vnto him a satisfaction whereby hee might merite at the handes of GOD forgiuenesse for sinnes committed after Baptisme which thing CHRIST neuer commaunded yea repugneth manifestlie to the Holie Scriptures of GOD in the which it is saide With one offering hath Hee consecrated for euer them that are sanctified Hebr. chapt 10. vers 14. This is not a single and vpright dealing to referre the institution of the Sacrament of Pennance vnto CHRIST when as they cannot prooue that thinges moste essentiallie requisite in their Sacrament hath allowance from the mouth of CHRIST I compare the Romanists in their doctrine of Pennance to king Hezekias not in time of his zeale vprightnes but in time of his reproueable weaknes for hee shewed vnto the Ambassadours of the King of BABEL the house of his treasures his Siluer Golde Spices and Precious Ointmentes and all the house of his Armour The Messengers of the King of BABEL had no such commission from their Master to viewe the Treasures Riches and Armour of King HEZEKIAS but onely to present letters of congratulation for the miraculous restitution of HEZEKIAS to health and to bring vnto him a present from MERODACH BALADEN King of BABEL But HEZEKIAS King of IVDA in his reprooueable weakenesse as I haue alreadie spoken let the Ambassadoures see maine chinges which they had no commission to see to the great harme and disaduantadge of his posteritie Euen so CHRIST sent out His Apostles and their true Successours to preach the doctrine of repentance and remission of sinnes But the ROMANE Church will let the Ambassadoures of GOD see such thinges as are not contained in their commission to wit a particular confession of all secrete sinnes together with a satisfaction to GOD for sinnes committed after Baptisme of which thinges no mention is made in the written worde of GOD. Heere I leaue them delighting in their Nouelties which haue no grounde from the mouth of CHRIST nor from the doctrine of His Apostles Yea they are like vnto the frogges of the I le of SERIPHVS one of the Iles called CYCLADES in the which the Frogges sette vp their heads in the Monethes of March and Aprill but they vtter no sounding voyce as the Frogges in other places doe Euen so the ROMANE Church holdeth vp their heads as if they would prooue that CHRIST instituted this Sacrament but they faint in the probation A TREATISE Of the Sacrament of Confirmation IN the Sacrament of Confirmation there is a glorious shewe of a signe and a spirituall thing signified The outward signe is Chrisme that is Oyle mixed with some mixture of Baulme which beeing signated with the signe of the Crosse vpon the fore-head of him who is confirmed in the Name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost they saye that with this outwarde signe is conferred the seuen-folde grace of the holy Spirit And this Sacrament they extoll aboue the Sacrament of Baptisme because the grace of God which is begunne in vs by Baptisme is perfected by the Sacrament of Confirmation Yea and a Priest or Deacon of the Church may baptize but the Sacrament of Confirmation must only bee ministrated by a Bishop Verie early did Popish bishops prouide that they shoulde not be altogether idle for they beganne to loath the office of preaching and baptizing and lest they should seeme to bee idle bellies they reserued some easie exercise to themselues to wit the making of Chrisme and anointing the people therewith To all this is added a Rhetoricall discourse That the people of Israell after they had passed thorow the redde Sea they entered into a Wildernesse in the which they had a great combate with many troubles before they could enter into their rest And in like manner after that we are baptized we haue a great fight with many aduersaries troubles before we can enter into the rest of God All this is true but what is inferred vpoÌ„ this If the Apostle Paul were our instructor hee woulde bid vs put on the complete armour of God to the ende that we might withstand spirituall wickednesse and eate the blessed bread and drinke the cuppe of blessing to the ende that beeing corroborated by the strength of the
Hincmarus bishop of Laudunum as a man disobedient to his Metropolitane and a man who for priuate injuries had excōmunicated all the Presbyters of his Church debarring them from saying of Masse baptizing of Inphantes absoluing of Penitents and burying of the dead And Hincmarus bishop of Rhemes proponed vnto the Councell 50. Canons which hee desired to bee read in the Synode and they allowed all the Canons written by the bishop of Rhemes Also they condemned Hincmarus bishop of Laudunum of petulancy and compelled him to subscribe obedience to Charles his King and to his Metropolitane hee was also depriued of his office and his eyes were thrust out But Pope Ihonne the ninth vnder the reigne of Carolus Crassus restored him to his office againe beeing the more affectioned vnto him because he had appealed from his owne bishop and from the decreet of a Synode in his owne countrey to be judged by the Chaire of Rome IN the yeere of our Lord 899. and in the eight yeere of the reigne of the Emperour Arnulphus in the Towne of Triburium twentie and two Bishops of Germanie were assembled who made many constitutions a great number whereof Caranza is compelled to ouer-passe with silence lest he shoulde make a superfluous repetition of Canons mentioned before First it was concluded in this Councell That excommunicate persons if they repent not are to be subdued by the Emperour Canon 10. That a Bishop shall not be deposed before his cause be judged by twelue Bishops and a Presbyter by sixe Bishops and a Deacon by three Bishops 11. A Church man who committeth slaughter shall be deposed albeit he hath beene inforced vnto it 12. Baptisme shall not be ministred except at Easter Whitsonday without necessitie require 13. Tythes are to bee payed for the sustentation of the Ministerie the support of the poore and the fabricke of the Church 15. Let mens bodies bee buried in that Paroch vnto the which they payed their Tythes 16. No buriall place shall bee solde for money 17. Let Laicke people be buried in the Church yarde not in the Church but if they be buried alreadie let not their bodies bee remoued 18. The vesselles wherein holy mysteries are celebrated are Challices and Platters whereof Sainct Bonifacius a Bishop and Martyr being demanded If it was lawfull to celebrate the Sacrament in vesselles of wood He answered That of olde there were golden bishops and woodden vessels but nowe by the contrary saith he the Bishops are woodden bishops and the vesselles are vesselles of golde And Sepherinus ministred the Sacrament in vessels of glasse Neuerthelesse this Councell straitly inhibiteth the Sacrament to be consecrated in vesselles of wood 19. Let not wine without water bee offered in the holy Challice because both blood and water flowed out of the side of Christ. 20. Priestes are shauen to the end they may carrie vpon their heads a similitude of the crowne to wit of thornes wherewith the Lord was crowned who is their lot and portion 21. Let not Presbyters who are called before Iustice seates bee compelled to sweare but let them bee put in remembrance of their holy consecration in stead of an oath 22. The triall of persons defamed by the burning iron is ceassed but let no man giue out rashe judgement in se◅ret matters 27. They who haue vnder-taken a spirituall ofsice shoulde not goe to warre-fare nor accept vpon them ciuill offices according to the seuenth Canon of the Councell of Chalcedon 31. A thiefe or a robber who is slaine in the perpetration of his diabolicall fact let no man praye for his soule nor distribute almes for his reliefe 35. Let no justice Courtes bee holden on the Lordes daye neither on Festiuall nor Fasting dayes 39. A man who marrieth a woman of a strange countrey but not of a strange religion shall be compelled to cohabite with her 40. It shall not be lawfull for a man to marie a woman whome hee hath polluted in adulterie during her husbandes life-time 45. Hee who hath defiled two sisters let him bee subject to pennance all his dayes and remaine continent 46. A woman that hath committed adulterie and for feare of her husband who persueth her vnto the death shee fleeth vnto Bishops to seeke reliefe let them trauell seriouslie for the safetie of her life and if that can bee obtained let her be restored to her husband againe but if that cannot bee obtained let her not bee restored but her husband during his life time shall not marie another 54. A forme of externall repentance is prescribed to them who of precogitate malice and of purpose haue committed slaughter TREATISES Belonging to the IX CENTVRIE A TREATISE Of Extreame Unction THE Councell of TRENT entraiting of this subject of Extreame Unction setteth downe a glorious Preface before their Canons That Sathan that vigilant enemie who is readie at all occasions to take his aduantadge he is most readie in the last conflict to assault poore soules when naturall powers are weakened and the feare of approaching death doeth perturbe the cogitations of sinfull people then hee endeuoureth to brangle their faith and to bring them to a distrust of the mercies of GOD. But on the other part saye they Christ hath instituted the Sacrament of Extreame Unction as an armour to guarde vs at our last breath against the subtile inuasions of that deceitfull aduersarie This Preface importeth that all the weapons of our spirituall warrefare both defensiue and offensiue wherewith wee faught against spirituall wickednesse in our life-time are not sufficient to guarde vs in our last combate except wee bee annointed with oyle at our last departure Neuerthelesse the holie Scripture expresselie saieth I am the resurrection and the life hee that beleeueth in mee though hee were dead yet shall hee liue and whosoeuer liueth and belecueth in mee shall neuer die Ioann Chap. 11. verse 25. 26. In which wordes it may bee euidentlie perceiued that the word of GOD apprehended by faith can saue vs both in life and death The Romanistes in proouing Extreame Unction to bee a Sacrament of the Newe Testament in the which there is a signe instituted by GOD and to the signe there is added a promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes and consequentlie of eternall life They are like to the drunkardes of our Nation who when their stomacke is ouer-laden with too much drinke then they laye them downe to sleepe but incase by any occasion they be wakened before the drinke be digested and gone out of their heads they arise like madde men and make such a stirre and businesse that all men wishe that they were in their bedde againe Euen so the Romane Church hath beene so miscarried with the traditions of men with the writinges of auncient Fathers especiallie in poinctes of doctrine in the which they were weake and with the authoritie of Councels that they layed them downe and slept securelie as people who were perfectlie instructed in the way of GOD. But nowe they